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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


<5 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Cotlection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographi 


ques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  coulaur 


□    Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagie 

□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pellicul^e 

□    Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  titre  de  couvertur 


couverture  manque 

laps/ 
Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


D 
D 
D 

n 


D 


D 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  li.a.  autre  que  bleua  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Sound  with  other  material/ 
Reli*  avec  d'autras  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 
Lareliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsi&n  la  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout«es 
lors  d  une  restauration  aoparaissent  dans  le  texte 
mais  lorsque  cela  «tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont' 
pas  iti  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires: 


L  Institut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu  il  lui  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cot  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
pomt  de  vue  bibliog'aphique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m«thode  normale  de  fllmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  da  couleur 


□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  rastaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 


"~7]    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
li^    Pages  ddcolordes,  tachet^es  ou  piquees 


□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachees 

QShowthrough/ 
Transparence 

□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  in^gale  de  I'impression 

□    Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comorand  du  mat^riAi  o..~.i^ 


Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


n 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  peiur- 
etc.,  cnt  6t6  film^es  d  nouveau  de  facon  a 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  Item  IS  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 
Ce  docun.ent  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-dessous 
10X  i4:( 


r— — 

p—— 1 

lO^ 

£^x. 

26X 

30X 

_ 

J 

"^^ 

n 

ux 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

""— ^ 

— ^ 

1 — 1 

32X 

Th«  copy  filmed  hers  has  been  raproducsd  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library 

Indian  and  Northern  Affairs 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
possibia  cnnsidaring  tha  condition  and  iagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  In  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacificationa. 


Original  copiaa  in  printed  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  cover  and  unding  on 
the  laat  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  imprea- 
aio  -.  or  tha  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copiaa  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illuatratad  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  eech  microfiche 

Tt^t^^a^'*"  *'!•  '^'"''®'  -*  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED ).  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END") 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  platea.  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratioa.  Thoae  too  largo  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  com«nr.  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrama  illustrate  the 
rnathod: 


L'exempiaire  film*  fut  raproduit  grflce  A  la 
gAn^rosit*  de: 

Bibliothdque 

Affaires  indiennes  et  du  Nord 

Lea  imagea  suivames  ont  «t«  raproduites  avac  la 
Plus  grsnd  soin.  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettet«  de  l'exempiaire  film*,  et  w 
conformit*  avac  iea  conditiona  du  contrat  de 
fllmage. 

Lea  axemplairea  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  eat  imprim«e  sont  film«s  en  commencant 
par  le  premier  plat  at  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derni^ra  page  qui  comports  une  ampreinte 
d  Impreasion  ou  d'illuatration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  caa.  Toua  lea  autras  axemplairas 
onginaux  sont  fllmte  an  commandant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  ampreinte 
d  impression  ou  dillustration  et  an  terminant  par 
ia  dermere  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
•mpreinte. 

Un  dea  symbolaa  suivnnts  apparaitra  sur  ia 
damlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
caa:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE"  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

n^^T^-  P'"'"=*^««-  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
Tlim*8  *  dea  taux  de  reduction  diff«rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  *tre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich*.  il  est  film*  *  partir 
de  I  angle  sup*rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  ^  droite. 
at  de  haut  en  baa,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d  Images  n*cessaira.  Lea  diagrammes  suivants 
liiuatrent  la  m*thode. 


ANCIENT  AMERICAN 


'S^SpPt^'' 


-1- 


JTCIENT  AMERICAN  BATTLE-MOUND. 


{See  Note,  page  39  ) 


TRADITIONS  OF  DECOODAH. 


AND 


ANTIQUARIAN  RESEARCHES : 


COMPniSINQ 


EXTENSIVE  EXPLORATIONS,  SURVEYS.  AND  EXCAVATIONS  OP  THE 

WONDERFUL  AND  MYSTERIOUS  EARTHEN  REMAINS  OF 

THE  MOUND-BUILDERS  IN  AMERICA ; 


THE 


TRADITIONS  OF  THE  LAST  PROPHET  OF  THE  ELK  NATION 

RELATIVE  TO  THEIR  ORIGIN  AND  USE; 


AND 


THE  EVIDENCES  OF  AN  ANCIENT  POPULATION  MORE 
NUMEROUS  THAN  THE  PRESENT  ABORIGINES. 

By  WILLIAM  PIDGEON. 


DBCRTPnVE  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  TWENTY  VARYING  RELATIVE  ARRANOEMENTO- 
F0RM8  OF  EARTHEN  EFFIGIES,  ANTIQUE  SCULPTURE,  ETO, 


NEW    YORK: 
PUBLISHED    BY    HORACE    T  H  A  Y  R  R, 

18   BEEKJtAN   STREF.T. 


1858. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Oonprptw,  in  Mm  ymv  1852, 

By  WILLTAM  I'IDGEON, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  Stotes  in  and  for  the 

Soutliern  District  of  New  York. 


STKREOTYPEn  RV  c.  r.  savag:j 
|:t  Ch«piber«  Strert,  N.  Y. 


jr.2, 

in  and  for  t.h« 


DE-COO-DAH. 


INTRODUCTION. 


TF  not  already  .rriveJ,  ihe  (ime  is  not  far  distant  when  the  re- 
-L  proach  so  ofien  flung  at  this  country,  that  wo  !iavo  no  antiquities, 
will  lose  even  the  a,>pearance  of  truth,  and  tho  world  will  look  with 
interest  and  awe  on  some  o(    '  o  mightiest  monuments  of  antiquity 
which  stand  above  tho  SMffaco  of  the  earth,  as  they  are  opened  to 
view  in  tho  western  country.     The  gnmueur  of  Epvpiian  ruins  and 
pyramidal  tombs  wil.  cease  to  attract  tho  undivided  attention  of  those 
who  look  after  records  of  tho  earliest  times.     The  ruins  of  Nineveh 
and  her  neighboring  cities  will  not  be  tho  only  memorials  of  the  men 
who  lived  in  tho  age  of  Seiniramis  and  her  immediate  successors.    It 
can  not  be  any  longer  doubted  that  there  has  been  a  day  when  this  con- 
tinent swarmed  with  millions  of  inhabitants,  when  the  arts  and  sciences 
flourished,  when  men  lived,  and  labored,  and  reigned,  and  fought,  and 
were  in  turn  conquerors  and  conquered,  sulrjects  and  kingo,  where  novr 
the  deep  silence  of  the  forest  has  overcome  all  such  evidences  of  life 
and  civilization.    Nineveh,  and  Egypt,  and  Greece,  have  left,  in  almost 
imperishable  stone,  the  relics  of  their  magnificence.     The  Ameri- 
can  nations  have  left  their  record  .n  the  soil,  and  have  written  their 
history  in  legible  and  inefi'accable  characters  on  the  hills  and  valleys 
of  their  beautiful  land,  from  Labrador  to  Patagonia. 

From  looking  at  these  relics  with  silent  wonderment,  and  regard- 
ing them  as  entirely  inexplicable,  antiruarians  have  begun  to  investi- 
gate more  closely  the  plans  of  their  formation,  and  gradually  find 
evidences  that  indicate  their  design,  and  explain  their  origin.  But 
as  in  the  Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  a  keystone  and  a  Champollion  were 
needed  to  open  to  the  eyes  of  the  world  the  stories  of  the  Rameses, 
BO  there  is  yet  needed  in  this  country  a  key  to  the  history  which  the* 
mound-builders  have  left  recorded  in  their  works. 

And  from  the  very  nature  of  the  subject,  it  does  not  appear  prob- 
able than  any  better  key  can  be  obtained  than  that  aflbrded  by  tradi- 


9 

INTEODUCTION. 

tion      The  successors  of  the  mound-builders  either  «,««      , 
"•otely.  were  the  North  Americar,  Indians     ^t    TT  T  "' 
't  be  possible  to  recover  anv  fr.,li,  u-  "^^  them.should 

dim  and  uncertain   ^.71^7  tradu.onary  h.story,  there  might  be  a 

•»3ssof  th"  oSn  I  v;  h^r "'"  ^'^"^" '"°  ^'«^-^- 

.    built  the  great  works  onhSci        M    ""  """'''''"^  '^'  '"^'^ -^° 
And  such  tr^i   0  .      o  e'  ItlT'  "r  ""''''''''''  '^'^y'- 

present  them  in  a  form   L T  1      ''^^'''  ""^  '^'''  ^"'"""^  'o 

purposes.  TlL  author  h  7  7^"  *''"  ^^'"^'^^  ^^  -^''^"--n 
lundsofNothan  Soutl  A^  •  ^^P"*""^^'-  ^^  — ining  the 
perso,.,  and.  as  wH   arocar  i    7""  '"""''  P-bably  by  no  other 

Ly  ;ears\o  t,:  eriloVo^trm^  ^'  '''  ^""™^'  ^^  ^^^^ 
volume.  '  """'   '"^PP^^^^   °"   »he   titlepage   of  this 

curiosity 'that  I  hadTong  d  'J  inTh'  ^  '"'T  "'  ^^"'^^'"^  ^ 
certain  tumuli  located  in^  tha^^^^X      oT^'^fhrd  J^^  M^^  ^^ 

«ome  time  and  attention  to  the  int^esting  alley  of  the  sf  Tt 
never  fa.ls  to  furnish  its  visiters  wi.h  matte  f^tH^f::":."' 
fon,  m  v,ew  of  the  vast  amount  of  labor  by  unknowlb     1  T 

excavation  of  deep  ditches  ind  in  fh  ""^^novvn  hands,  m  the 

and  herculean  mounds    fLth  whole   ""'"''^'"  "'  "^^^'^^  ^^"« 
Many  of  those  grand  an:r:d:r;:rh:w^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
viously  .->terrupted.  and  some  almost  entirely  obHterated  n  t        '"" 
ress  of  agriculture,  and  the  building  un  of  town!       7    n        P"""^* 
are  continually  risine  wi.ii  ,.=  F  ^  ^"'^  """^^^^  that 

and  extinct  race        'tC    f  ^  T,  ""  ^'^  """"^  ''' '"  ""'--» 

origin  on  the  broad  ;rpa'i::Th;r:^  '''  '''''''''  ^^^^^'^ 
in  the  dense,  dark  shade  of  Tr         ^'^^  "«"hweste.-n  prairies,  and 

civilizjlion  and  barbarism      H, „  I  ,  !  ""■"  '"""'•° 

searches  by  excavation  Id  s"  "v     ^1"?     "'^  '■"•"^^'="  '»- 
dian,  were  di»plca,ed  wil  TJ  '^,'  <l"™vered  ,h«  ,l,e  In- 

departed  friend^  Zy  ofl'C  TT'T  °''  *"'.  «'"''  "'  "•- 
/       wjorn  tne^  hau  here,  in  mutation  of  their 


'--MHBiKHlcmie^rtUtLM 


INTEODUOnOir.  » 

white  neighbors,  deposited  in  mounds.  Some  of  them  tendered 
their  services  to  guide  me  to  works  equally  interesting  to  me  and 
less  sacred  to  them.  I  accepted  their  offers  on  several  occasions 
and  discovered  that  I  gave  no  offence  to  any,  in  the  excavation  of 
such  as  they  pointed  out  to  me.  After  becoming  somewhat  familiar 
with  some  of  them,  I  resolved  to  proceed  up  the  river.  Having  pro- 
vided myself  with  a  small  sail-boat  and  outfit  for  a  tour  through  their 
territory,  I  set  sail  for  the  interior. 

On  my  arrival  at  Cappili  Bluff,  I  formed  an  acquaintance  with  a 
young  chief  of  the  De-co-ra  family,  who  manifested  some  interest 
in  my  mission,  and  furnished  me  with  an  interpreter,  and    ve  pro- 
ceeded on  our  way.     On  our  arrival  at  Prairie  "la  Cross,  .  .earned 
that  an  aged    Indian  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  mounds 
whose  name  was  De-coo-dah,  a  man  of  undoubted  veracity,  revered 
and  respected  by  those  that  knew  him,  had  arrived  at  the  'lodae  of 
Wah-con  De-co-ra,  and  would  tarry  some  days  to  participate  in  tho 
enjoyment  of  an  annual  festival.     I  resolved  to  seek  an  interview 
and  learning  that  the  feast  was  to  be  held  in  the  vicinity  of  Prairie' 
la  Cross,  concluded  to  wait  his  arrival.     I  commenced  the  survey 
of  some  mounds  in  the  neighborhood.     De-coo-dah  being  informed 
that  there  was  a  white  man  making  pictures  of  the  mounds,  im- 
mediately visited  me,  accompanied  by  Wah-con  De-co-ra  whose 
curiosity  became  somewhat  enlisted  at  seeing  me  survey,  and  de- 
hneate  on  paper,  the  mounds  in  their  relative  local  position      From 
my  notes,  without  the  presence  of  the  objects,  I  endeavored  to  con- 
vey to  him  an  idea  of  the  power  of  figures  in  giving  distance,  alti- 
tude, and  position,  but  he  did  not  seem  to  comprehend  my  meaning 
De-coo-dah  silently  listened  with  deep  and  thoughtful  interest  and 
soon  realized  their  use  and  power.     Addressing  himself  to  De-co- 
ra,    he  remarked  that  those  figures  were  signs  that  conveyed  ideas 
m  their  various  forms  or  shapes,  designating  difference  in  distance 
through  their  change  in  formation,  and  that  their  different  significa- 
tions could  only  be  known  by  vocal  instruction.     Ho  then  gathered 
ten  pebbles  and  laid  them  in  a  pile  on  the  ground,  and  desired  me 
to  give  the  figure  denoting  1.     I  did  so.     He  laid  one  down  and 
called  for  the  figure  2,  and  continued  his  line  until  he  had  laid  all 
m  a  row,  distant  a  few  inches  from  each  other.     He  then  counted 
tKem,  and  beginning  at  the  first,  he  pointed  at  the  figure  1,  and  so 
continued  to  count,  designating   the  figure  that  represented  each 
number  up  to  10.     He  thus  conveyed  the  idea  of  the  use  of  figures 


8 


INTRODUCTION. 


to  De-co-rn,  that      had  failed   to  convey  by  the  use  of  language. 

Thus  I  discovered  that  he  was  a  man  of  no  ordinnry  talent  and  in- 

telhgence  among  Indians,  and  I  determined,  if  possible,  to  secure  his 

Inendship,  and  ir.  token  of  mine,  presented  them  some  trinkets     They 

received  them  with  an  air  of  dignity,  and  De-co-ra,  on  their  de- 

parture,  gave  me  an  invitation  to  visit  him  the  next  day,  and  par- 

take  of  Indian   hospitality.     I  did  so,  and  was  cordially  received. 

and  bountifully  fed.     The  conversation  soon  turned  to  the  subject 

of  the    mou..ds,  and    De-coo-dah   desired   to  know   my  object  in 

making  pictures  of  works  that  were  almost  everywhere  to  be  seen 

adding  that  white  men  cared  little  for  them,  and  were  in  the  habit' 

of  destroying  them,  wherever  they  came  in  contac*  with  their  con- 

vemence,  or  militated  with  their  imaginary  interests,  or  excited  their 
curiosity. 

I  replied,  that  it  was  in  consequence  of  that  fact  that  I  gave  my 
time  and  attention  to  the  investigation  of  their  form  and  arrangement. 
1  hat  coming  generations  might  know  that  this  great  country  had  once 
been  full  of  people  whom  their  fathers  knew  little  or  nothing  about. 
But  why,'  said  he,  "does  not  the  white  man  leave  the  record 
on  the  earth  where  it  belongs  ?"_<<  Most  of  white  men,"  said  I 
"care  but  little  about  things  that  are  not  directly  connected  with 
their  real  or  imaginary  pecuniary  interest ;  but  there  are  some  white 
men  that  delight  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  others." 

He  then,  with  a  scrutinizing  air,  fixed  his  eyes  steadfastly  upon 
me,  and  looked  me  full  in  the  face  for  a  minute,  turned  to  De-co-ra 
and  exclaimed,  "  A  good  man -a  good  white  man  !"     Again  fixing 
on  me  his  eyes  that  now  beamed  with  benevolence,  he  added  "  The 
red  man's  friend,"  and  extended  his  hand.     I  received  it  with  a 
cordial  grasp ;  he  drew  from  his  belt  the  big  pipe  of  friendship  of 
antique  structure,  formed  with  a  double  tube  for  the  admission  of  two 
stems,  and  asked  for  tobacco.    I  handed  him  a  small  plug,  which  he 
took,  and  after  mixing  it  with  bark,  and  rubbing  them  wel'l  together, 
filled  the  big  pipe,  introduced  two  stems,  each  about  two  feet  long,' 
sat  down  in  front  of  me  on  a  mat,  and  asked  me  to  smoke  with  him.' 
De-co-ra  lit  the  pipe,  and  we  soon  filled  the  wigwam  with  the 
fumes  of  friendship. 

This  being  my  first  formal  Indian  introduction,  the  exercise  on  my 
part  was  rather  awkwardly  performed,  and  gave  rise  to  no  little  mer- 
riment  among  the  females  of  the  De-co-ra  family,  which  was  prompt- 
ly  rebuked  by  De-coo-dah.     This  was  a  new  feature  to  me  in  the 


INTRODUCTION'. 


0 


manners  and  customs  of  Indians.  I  liad  never  before  heard  a  re- 
buke to  mirth  under  any  circumstance,  and  it  very  much  increased 
my  admiration  for  De-coo-dah. 

As  soon  as  the  ceremony  of  smoking  was  dispensed  with,  the  con- 
versation turned  to  the  mounds,  and  De-coo-dah  spoke  of  many 
singularly-formed  works,  some  of  which  I  had  previously  visited 
surveyed,  and  retained  the  drawings.  Of  such,  I  presented  the' 
draughts  for  his  mspection,  and  was  delighted  with  his  immediate  rec- 
ognition of  them  from  position  and  relative  arrangement.  In  several 
of  the  draughts,  however,  he  noted  omissions  of  works  that  he  repre- 
sented as  standing  in  connection  with  those  presented  in  the  draw- 
ing. 

I  then  informed  him  that  I  designed  surveying  all  the  mounds  on 
and  in  the  vicinity  of  Prairie  la  Cross,  and  those  of  Wa-ba-shaw 
Prairie.  He  very  kindly  tendered  his  services  to  aid  .r.e  in  the 
work,  and  was  of  much  service  to  me,  not  only  in  directing  my 
attention  to  works  partially  obliterated,  but  also  in  n)inting  out 
others  along  the  second  t«rrace  of  Black  river.  The  leading  topics 
of  conversation  in  the  progress  of  our  survey  at  Prairie  la  Crosa  and 
Wa-ba-shaw  Prairie,  turned  on  the  genealogy  of  the  Indian  tribes. 
I  was  much  interested  in  the  detail  of  the  life  and  adventures  of  De- 
coo-dah  as  related  by  himself;  but  the  genealogical  descent  that  he 
claimed  for  himself,  he  reserved  for  future  detail. 

The  intimacy  which  subsequently  existed  between  us,  has  left  an 
impression  on  my  mind  never  to  be  effaced,  and  I  am  glad  of  an  op- 
portunity to  make  as  imperishable,  as  paper  and  type  can  make,  the 
stones  which  the  old  man  had  treasured  as  sacred.  He  would  be 
glad  himself  to  know  that  they  were  recorded  as  they  are  in  this 
volume. 


ANTIQUARIAN  RESEARCHES. 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

T^m.rnM'  ^^r««"*!°g /Lis  book  to  the  public  claims 
J-   foi  It  at  least  the  merit  of  novelty  and  originality     There 
are  but  few  of  the  kingdoms  or  countries  of  the  old  world  that 
have  not  celebrated,  in  poetry  or  sober  history,  the  mighty 
relcs  of  their  ancient  empires.    This  is  true  of  Greece,  Rome, 
Babylon,  Egypt,  Hindostan,  Tartary,  Africa,  China,  Persia 
Europe,  and  even  of  many  of  the  smaller  islands  of  the  ocean, 
fn  IV-  y'  /T"'"^  ^«;  ^™^^-^«^  to  awake  her  story  from  sleep, 
to  stnng  the  lyre  and  nerve  the  pen,  to  tell  the  tale  of  her  an! 
t.qu.  ,es,  as  seen  in  the  relics  of  nations,  coeval,  perhaps,  with 
the  oldest  works  of  man. 

This  curious  subject,  although  it  is  obscured  beneath  the 
gloom  of  ages,  of  which  but  little  record  remains,  has  never- 
theless that  record  written  in  the  dust,  in  the  form  of  mighty 
mounds,  abongmal  fortifications,  and  complicated  tumulL  to- 
gether  with  strange  paintings,  ancient  skeletons,  earthen  effi- 
g.es  and  antique  sculpture,  that  we  imagine  are  worthy  of 
rank  among  the  most  wonderful  antiquities  of  the  world 

And  the  subject  is  curious,  not  only  on  account  of  their 
number,  magnitude,  and  complication  of  arrangement;  but 
also  on  account  of  their  obscurity  of  origin 


13 


ANTIQUARIAN  BESEAECnKS. 


i 


It  '! 


ff 


Place  the  monuments,  and  secret  repositories  of  the  dead, 
togetlier  with  the  iimiimerable  groups  of  complicated  tumuli, 
and  monstrous  embankments,  resembling  fortifications,  that 
abound  in  America,  in  any  part  of  the  Old  World,  and  how 
would  the  virtuosi  examine  them,  and  the  antiquarian  fill 
volumes  with  their  probable  histories!  Their  fame  would  be 
conveyed  through  learned  bodies,  and  made  imperishable  in 
costly  volumes,  while  the  inquiry  would  never  cease  until 
completely  answered  as  to  who  were  their  builders,  what 
their  age,  whence  their  origin,  and  whither  they  have  gone. 
Every  gleam  of  rational  light  would  be  welcomed  with  avid- 
ity, and  research  would  in  time  be  amply  rewarded. 

It  would  seem  that  no  less  ought  to  be  expected  at  this  day 
in  America.  While  the  traveller  grows  weary  in  Asia  with 
tracing  the  time-worn  trail  of  the  centuries,  or  breaks  the 
hard  lava  that  encrusts  the  evidences  of  volcanic  ruin,  or  sifts 
the  dust  in  the  desecrated  catacombs  of  Egypt;  or  while  the 
linguist  reviews  the  history  of  piimeval  literature  on  the 
broken  tablets  recovered  from  long  entombment  in  the  vaults 
of  time,  why  should  less  interest  be  manifested  in  the  equally 
ancient  relics  of  this  broad  country,  which  lie  scattered  in 
every  state,  and  whose  history  is  legibly  written  on  the  'sur- 
face of  her  soil,  from  the  Alleghany  to  the  Pacific,  in  mighty 
mounds,  strange  eflRgies,  and  Herculean  embankments  ? 

Foreign  travellers  have  not  unfrequently  complained  that 
America  presents  nothing  like  ruins  such  as  are  seen  in  other 
quarters  of  the  globe :  no  dilapiduted  walls,  moss-covered 
turrets,  or  crumbling  abbeys. 

But  what  are  moss-clad  turrets,  or  crumbling  abbeys,  that 
bear  on  their  bosoms  the  impress  of  era  and  nationality,  com- 
pared with  our  everlasting  artificial  hills,  that  have  outlived 
history,  tradition,  and  era  —  the  workmanship  of  hands  un- 
known, the  alpha  of  primeval  monumental  efi'ort — whose 
origin  in  the  absence  of  historical  fact,  must  necessarily  rest  in 
conjecture,  traditional  history,  and  circumstantial  testimony? 

That  those  mounds  or  monuments  interspersed  over  por- 
tions of  every  continent  of  tlie  globe,  are  the  wcik  of  lujtnan 
hands,  we  presume  can  no  longer  remain  a  matter  of  doubt 


INTRODUOTORY   CriAPTRB.  J^ 

in  any  enlightened  or  well-informed  commnnifT.  Even  a 
enperhcal  exatnination  of  ti.eir  fur.n  and  relative  arrant 
n,e,.f,,  can  not  fail  to  impress  the  n.ind  of  the  observ  wkh 
m  conv.cfon  of  a  design  in  their  construction  a  d  „ 
takm.  an  extensive  view  of  the  various  groups,  c^nClsoa 
^.11  prove  an  equally  manifest  plurality  of  desiL;^ 

mind'  r 'h  "-"^  " •'''  ''T''^'^"^  ^"^'T  that  presents  itself  to  the 
mmd  o     he  mqu.rer  of  the  present  day,  seen.s  to  be,  at  what 
era,  and  by  .  .om  were  the  mounds  originally  co,   tn  cTed 
In  answer  to  this  query,  aided  by  the  sacred  historian    vet 
jrk,   hat  dunng  the  lifetime  of  Cain  and  Abel,  i      he  day 
of  Adam,  sacrifice  was  offered  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  the  oftT 
u.g  0  sacr.hce  presupposes  a  place  of  offering  or  an  aUar 'n 
v.h.ch  sacrifice  may   be  offered.     It  umy  scarcely  be  LT 
Bumed  that  mechanical  knowledge,  at  so  eirly  an  era  in  time 
c<n.ld  have  extended  beyond  the  construction  of  t le  ea     en 
inound      And,  again  we  read,  that  as  soon  as  the  vate     o^ 
the  flood  were  assuaged,  Noah  built  an  altar,  upon  w    ch  to 
offej.  sacnfice  unto  the  Lord.     And  this  bein^  the  fi"     Jork 
of  Noah  in  h.s  advent  from  the  ark,  fairlv  imnliHH        T 
to  be  Of  ,.,„e,i,„vl„„  „..i,i,„  U-cg,',.  Iwll'; 'I  '    ^  Cd 
the  fiood,  and  not  only  sustains  the  idea  of  fhp  .w       ^ 
tiq-ity  of  the  earthen  nfounds,  but  n.o^'^u  o  ^    ,  ^^ 
^  appearance  throughout  portions  of  every    „a        of^e 
globe;  ]t  we  admit  that,  from  the  f.milv  nf  K    u     , 
earth  was  repeopled,  as  recor    d     y  M: L^t  [o  T  t"^' 
fat  in  the  days  of  Peleg,  Noah  divided  Z'et     w'"" 
his  three  sons,  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japhet     L  M  '^'* 

tion  of  this  geographical  divLion,  .^  td  thu  .  ' Af"""" 
set  apart  to  Han.,  the  temperate  zones  to  SI  a  d  /l  ?- t 
zones  to  Japhet;  and  in  all  those  zones  we  find  t  ?^'^ 
nety  of  ,  n  and  arrangen.ent,  the  earthln  m  1  '''"'  ^" 
We  read  agam,  that  as  recently  as  in  the  d-ilnP t  .  . 
Abraham,  in  their  migrations,  at  e.c]^LT  ^'^  ^"^ 
-l.e.-e  any  circumstanc^  of  iu  p^  t^e  c^cunJ  T't'' 
built  an  altar.     And  Ihat  alt.,«  .f  I "...  ?'"."^'  "'^'''«  '^'^y 


were  built  in  those  days,  we  lea 


hat  altars  of  earth,  bv  d 


Exodus,  24th  to  the  2Gth 


vei-se  inclusive 


"•n  from  the  2Uth 


ivine  author' 


7> 


ch^ipter  of 


14 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCHES. 


M 


*' An  altar  of  earth  slialt  thou  malce  nnto  me;  and  shall 
sacrifice  thereon  thy  burnt-offering,  and  thy  peace-offering," 
thy  sheep  and  tliine  oxen.  In  all  places  where  I  record  my 
name,  I  will  come  unto  thee,  and  I  will  bless  thee." 

Here  we  perceive  that  the  altar  of  earth  was  not  only  rec- 
ognised as  a  holy  place,  but  was  also  used  as  an  abiding 
record.  But  even  in  those  days  we  imagine  that  the  reveren- 
tial respect  originally  cherished  for  the  mound  had  ceased  to 
be  general,  and  their  desecration  had  become  common ;  for 
in  the  33d  chapter  of  Numbers,  and  53d  verse,  we  read 
that  the  descendants  of  Ham,  the  cursed  of  Noah,  in  the  days 
of  Moses,  were  idolaters,  that  built  high  jjlaces,  and  worship- 
ped pictures ;  that  the  Israelites  were  commanded  to  pluck 
down  and  destroy.  Novr  it  is  in  those  days  that  we  find  evi- 
deuces  of  thedeposite  of  statuary  in  the  mounds  representing 
the  gods  of  India,  and  idols  of  almost  every  land  ;  for  it  is 
most  evident  that  in  the  expansion  of  the  Israelites,  the  idola- 
ters who  have  ever  been  attached  to,  and  more  tenacious  of 
their  ceremonial  rites  than  Christians,  were  reduced  to  the 
Docessity  of  entombing  or  hiding  their  gods  in  the  sacred 
mounds,  that  they  might  there  secretly  worship  them. 

The  spirit  of  Christianity  and  the  love  of  idolatry,  even  at 
that  early  era  of  history,  during  the  personal  intercourse  of 
God  with  man,  and  from  that  time  to  the  present  day,  have 
never  ceased  to  wage  an  unceasing  war;  and,  in  the  dawn 
of  theology,  she  seems  to  have  enlisted  in  her  train  all  the 
trappings  of  idolatry — such  as  images  and  pictures.  The 
sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars,  have  all  been  objects  of  adora- 
tion from  the  earliest  ages  of  the  world.  In  the  17th  chap- 
ter of  Deuteronomy,  we  find  Moses  imposing  the  penalty  of 
deatli  on  those  that  worshipped  the  sun,  the  moon,  or  any  of 
the  heavenly  bodies. 

From  the  earliest  era  in  time  known  to  history,  sacred  or 
profane,  there  would  seem  to  be  something  like  an  innate  pre- 
disposition in  man  to  indulge  in  symbolical  worship;  and  the 
symbols  of  every  age  savor  much  of  the  refined  taste  or 
savage  passions  of  those  that  employ  them.  The  brazen  ser- 
pent, the  golden  calf,  the  heathen  statuary,  and  the  painter's 


mTKODnOTOBY    CHAPTER.  j^* 

pencil,  have,  each  in  their  tnrn   hn^  m    •      j    . 

vetoes;   and,  al.hcgl,     'e  s„b,'ec"  of  A      "l"""""  ""d  de- 

fa  everywhere  envelonod  in  mr,        ^'"?"f''  »«iq„itie, 

tl.at  will  not  only  be  intere  ti nff^  ,?  *  '""°''  "»"»'•• 
taiiy  important  to  co^  g  g^ll  "  Trtv?'' ,""'  ''■ 
"3  well  as  usef„l  to  know  I'l,!  toTo fonl's  o^-vT  "1 
«  nsmg  interest,  as  its  boWnnin^  aro  ,  „f  u  j  •  ■'^'  "  '^'' 
i.3  war,  i,3s.r„gg,es,  and  fts  ZC^^^^  Xf^T 
when  the  story  of  its  antiquities,  tho  >.h  of  a  l!'  ^  T  ' 
majestic  natnre,  is  attempld  to' be  :::i^^     X,:  ,7"" 

sei't^^rrn^trdi'i^d^^^" -^"'^ -'-^^^^^^^ 

and  walls  of  i,C„l  len^  K  m  °""''  ''^'•'"»'''^'  "^ »'»»«. 
found  the  wreck  of  '"f  .  "'",'■  ™  ^"'■*  ^"'"""^  " 
older  than  the  belnbr„f '  ^■''°^?.«"'''"«.  "  WuM  seem  fa 

only  be  -/inTet^pe" -sS:  :C:ftrur '^'7  "Y 
great  records.  ^*  tumuli,  and  such 

orl:rSeST:r  e:-:::'  iiriT  r  v"-"' 

ran  the  Roman  empire  dethwi'^f"    ^''"'''"^'  ^'■'"'  <"«■•■ 

eries,  and  history  otCia.nt  17.  ^^  °"°'""'  "^  ^''"o^' 

•tl.ey  subdued,  tl  gCtf  bLri"'-'"^  °'"  *"  '^g'«"' 

wi^Uhe  Shades  of  tfe  CstttZ;^™™::;,-""'-' 

This  presumption  is  predicated  on  the  Zt  .1   f         , 
have,  from  the  earliest'erae  known  i*  hit  V"    ,""'"'J"'' 
Keep  a  record  ofevpnt.,  oifi.      v.      ,,    "istoij,  continued  to 

tl.Igh  tradition,  ret;;  *eoa:''u  °™«'^P'''=''''^'  - 
G'-eeee  and  Eome  not  o„rvb  ?'^'  and  we  advert  to 

"ightened  nations  ^flhir'^e  ^^^b'  "'"'  ""^  "'"  ■"°»'  «»- 
"'ation,  calculated  to  concSal  « '7''  r"""""'  ""■»'?»- 
of  both  nations,  actua  y  e"  ^  '  lu'^l^'^t  »""'  =«'»"- 
a  Grecian,  and  flourished  aS.'f'.bT"!'"'  ""'  ^'^'^^  "« 
Chlist,  The  origi„"fil!r  •""■?,  ^'""^'^^  ^ea-^  before 
who  desce„d„7^":  r"  """"»  '»  ™''i  «»  ha™  been  Japetu.. 

k'  it  bo  obsmed  tMTV"'  T"^  "^  "'  ^°>''-    Now' 
that  the  Macedonian  kingdom,  of  which 


Ill 


In 


Vu,      I 


1 

; 

f 

t 

1 

■ 

?.  ' 

j_ 

^ 

16 


ANTIQUAKIA  i   RE8KABCIIK8. 


Alexander  wns  not  only  tlie  last,  but  tlio  grentcst  monarch, 
cominonced  about  eight  hundred  and  fourteen  yeai-s  before 
Christ,  wliich  was  sixty-ono  yo  ra  earlier  than  the  Rouiana ; 
consequently  the  annals  of  this  nation  must  necessarily  luive 
run  back  to  the  flood,  and  mn  have  reached  beyond  ;  but 
revclution  after  revolution  lias  b-"-,  the  world  to  discover  over 
again  many  arts  and  sciences  fair  iarly  known  to  them  ;  and 
we  are  among  those  that  believe,  t.  at  North  and  South  Amer- 
ica were  not  only  known  to  the  oinans  and  Grecians,  but 
were  formerly  taken  possession  and  colonized  by  tliera. 
Nor  is  this  opinion  founded  in  me.  conjecture;  on  the  con- 
trary, it  is  sustained  by  an  antiquarian  record  of  literal  im- 
port, discovered  by  a  farmer  of  M  te  Video,  in  Brazil,  in 
1827.  In  one  of  liis  fields  he  discovered  a  flat  stone,  upon 
which,  to  him,  strange  and  imknowi.  characters,  were  en- 
graven ;  and  beneath  this  stone  he  discovered  a  vault  formed 
|)y  masonry,  in  which  were  deposited  two  ancient  swords,  a 
lielmet,  and  shield.  This  j>lanter  cau'  d  the  flat  stone  and 
deposite  to  bo  removed  to  Monte  Video,  where,  in  spite  of 
the  ravages  of  more  than  two  thousand  years,  Gi-cek  words 
were  easily  made  out,  which,  being  tran  ated,  were  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

^^  During  the  Dominion  of  Alexander,  the  son  of  Philip ^ 
King  of  Macedon,  in  the  sixt_  third 
Olympiad,  Ptolemaios?'* 
^  On  account  of  the  ravages  of  time  it  was  npossible  to  de- 
cipher the  rest;  but  on  the  handle  of. one  of  the  swords  was 
the  portrait  of  a  man,  supposed  to  represent  iilexander  liim- 
ftelf.  On  the  helmet  there  was  sculptured  work,  executed 
with  the  most  exquisite  skill,  representing  Ac  illes  dragging 
the  corpse  of  Hector  around  the  walls  of  Tro^ .  From  this 
discovery,  it  is  evident  that  the  soil  of  Brazil  was  formerly 
broken  by  Ptoleuuiios,  more  than  a  thousand  yeais  before  the 
discovery  by  Columbus.  But  in  North  America,  with  which 
we  are  more  familiar,  we  conceive  the  evidence  of  a  iioman 
and  Grecian  population  to  be  equally  conclusive.  On  the 
Lank  of  the  rivei-  Desperes,  in  Missouri,  was  found  l)y  nu  In- 
dian   and  presented  to  Governor  Clark,  a  genuine  Roman 


INTROnuCTORT  CnAPTKR. 


17 


coin.    A  Persian  coin  was  also  found  on  the  bank  of  the 
Ohio  river.    We  are  not,  however,  of  the  opinion  that  the  Ro 
mana  or  Grecians  inhabited,  either  singly  or  jointly,  at  any 
era,  this  entire  continent ;  but  that  Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe 
have  each  contributed  to  swell  the  population  of  the  western 
continent  at  diflferPut  eras.    Some  ot  our  reasons  for  enter, 
taming  tin.,  idea,  arise  out  of  the  great  similarity  existing  be- 
tween the  tumulono  ruins  of  tho,,e  several  continents.    Many 
enclosures,  similar  to  the   Roman  camps  described  by  J<> 
sephus,  may  yet  bo  seen  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi.    He 
represents   those  camps  as  being  four  square  by  measure 
adorned  with  towers  at  equal  distances,  with  gates  or  places 
ot  entrance  on  every  side.    At  Marietta,  in  Ohio,  may  yet  be 
seen  the  remains  of  one  of  those  camps,  with  its  elevated 
squares  at  each  corner,  more  than  one  hundred  feet  square 
and  nine  feet  high;  and  various  other  earth-works,  similar 
in  construction,  may  bo  seen  north  to  the  lakes,  and  west  to 
the  Mississippi,  west  of  which,  we  doubt  whether  the  Ro 
mans  ever  held  empire.    The  same  historian  also  tells  us  that 
the  Danes  and  Saxons  reared  their  military  works  in  circular 
form^  This  fact  admitted,  we  have  at  various  points  along 
the  Ohio  and  Scioto  rivers,  the  works  of  both -sometimes 
isolated,  and  sometimes  in  union.    Notwithstanding  the  cir 
cular  and  square  enclosures  chiefly  abound,  there  are,  never- 
theless,  many  large  enclosures   that  are  neither  round  nor 
square.     This  fact  would  seem  to  be  indicative  of  a  still  ^ 
further  distinction  in  nationality,  such  as  is  recognised  in  the 
earth-work  of  central  Africa  — enclosing  villages  and  cities 

That  those  structures  have  not  originated  with  the  present 
Indian  tribes,  or  their  ancestors,  is  abundantly  evident  in  the 
fact,  tnat  they  never  have  used  them,  either  as  enclosures  or 
places  of  defence,  nor  are  they  recognised  as  such  in  their 
traditions.  Composed  as  they  are  of  materials  imperishable 
as  the  base  upon  which  they  rest,  they  continually  i^resent  to 
view,  m  form,  magnitude,  and  structure,  so  singular  an  ap- 
pearance,  that  they  could  not  possibly  fail  to  attract  attention^ 

and  ellP.it,  mnnivw  fiv\»«  fli/>  ^^^r.*-  fl '  ''  -1  -.     -        ' 

.     ,  --i..!-„.  ,  '"^' Most  thutigriciesg  01  human  beingSi 

And  as  it  18  well-known  to  all  familiar  with  the  North 


li' 


II 


'I 


II  hi 


III 


I 


1.    ? 


I    J 


18 


ANTIQUARIAN    RKSKAIU  IIIM. 


American  Indinn  clmractor,  tlmt  tlioro  nre  nono  in  tlio  family 
of  man  that  retain  a  more  sacred  rcvercnco  for  nnciont 
nationality,  it  is  utterly  inipossihlo  tliat  thoy  ever  could,  mider 
such  circunietancefl,  have  lost .  l^ht  of  their  use  and  orijjin. 

The  circular  works  of  the  Dunes  and  Saxons  so  frequently 
found  in  England  in  connection  with  the  Pontnpon  or  Doom- 
ring  of  Denmark,  stretching  in  a  continuous  line  from  Ihowna- 
ville,  in  Pennsylvania,  through  Wisconsin,  Canada,  Green- 
land, and  Iceland,  to  Swed  n  direct,  we  conceive  to  lie  strong 
evidence  of  the  migration  of  th'>  Danes,  Belgians,  or  Saxons, 
at'somo  unknown  en',  in  time. 

Tiiere  are  other  corroborating  circumstances  that  go  to 
pi'ove  the  correctness  of  this  i>reHumption :  first,  wo  find  no 
corresponding  earth-works  south  of  Pennsylvania;  and,  sec- 
ondly, we  observe  a  much  greater  variety  in  the  physical 
formation  of  the  aborigines  of  the  north,  than  is  seen  in  the 
same  race  in  the  south. 

This  wo  conceive  to  be  indicative  of  international  amalga- 
mation between  distinct  races,  and  one  quality  of  that  distinc- 
tion carries  with  it  the  general  outlines  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
family,  while  the  characteristic  form  and  feature  of  the  Asiatic 
Tartar  is  universally  preserved  in  all  the  tribes  of  the  south. 

Should  we  be  suddenly  transported  into  the  desert  of  Libya, 
in  Africa,  and  should  wo  there  behold  in  the  dense  forest  a  n)a8- 
sive  temple,  with  trace  of  no  human  existence  within  a  thousand 
miles  of  its  location,  with  towering  spires  bearing  a  cross,  sur- 
rounded by  urns  ;  or,  should  it  even  be  found  among  sai'age 
nations,  that  were  utterly  ignorant  of  its  primitive  design, 
what  would  be  our  conclusion  as  to  its  origin  and  use  ?  "Would 
V'6  not  recognise  in  such  a  structure,  the  crucifixion  of  Christj 
and  ittriinto  its  on^in  to  the  hands  of  his  followers  and  wor- 
s>ri,.-s;  tve  certamly  should.  And  why?  because  the 
cross  is  the  symbolical  representation  of  that  crucifixion.  Yes ; 
■with  one  accord,  without  a  dissenting  voice,  we  would  at- 
tribute the  origin  of  this  temple  to  the  Christian  church. 
Then  when  we  find  on  the  shore  of  the  Monongahela,  or  the 
highland  of  the  Kickapoo,  the  identical  Doom-ring  of  Den- 
mark, why  should  we  hesitate  to  ascribe  its  origin  to  the  an- 


ti  tlio  family 
fur  niicioiit 
3oul(l,  under 
id  origin, 
o  froqut'iitly 
in  or  Dootn- 
•i»in  Ihowna- 
ftdn,  Green- 
to  1)0  strong 
J,  or  Saxons, 

tlmt  go  to 

wo  find  no 

I ;   and,  eoc- 

:he  plijsical 

Been  in  tlio 

nal  amalga- 
tliat  distinc- 
Vnglo-Saxon 
f  tlie  Asiatic 
the  eonth. 
2rt  of  Libya, 
forest  a  n)a8- 
n  a  tlionsand 
a  cross,  sur- 
long  8ar\'age 
tive  design, 
ise?  "Wonid 
m  of  Cliristj 
jrs  and  wor- 
)ecause  tiio 
fix  ion.  Yes; 
3  would  at- 
ian  church, 
diela,  or  the 
ng  of  Den- 
Q  to  the  an- 


iNxnonnoTORv  criAPTKR. 


Id 


cent  Dane?  If  the  Dane,  the  Roman,  and  tho  Persinn,  may 
in  the  early  t.tnes  have  nmde  their.way  to  A.nerica,  is  it  not 
rational  to  conclude  that  other  nations  may  huvo  done  the 
same  ? 

Ancient  Egypt  first  in  science  and  famous  in  art,  has  also 
M  her  .mpresB  hero  Tn  1775,  son.e  of  th.  first  settlors  in 
Kencucky,  whoso  curiosity  was  excited  l.y  something  remark- 
able .„  the  arrar,go„,ent  <,f  Htonen  that  filled  the  cntmnc.  to  a' 
cnve,  remove,!  then.,  and,  on  entering,  discovered  a  number  ' 
of  muu.m.eH  preserved  I,,  the  art  of  en.babning  i„  as  grelt  a 
Bfa  e  ot  perfection  as  was  known  by  the  ancicmt  Egn  t  ,1 

tune   hat  the  Israelites  were  in  bondage  in  Kgv,.t     This  cub. 

;;:;:,:::'"  'i\\ '  ^-'^  ""'^''^^  -»^  waUi:di 

the  earliest  iigo  ot  their  nati.,iiid  existence 

A  custom  so  peculiarly  characteristic  of  that  people  bointr 
fi->und   here  m   a  state  of  perfection,  not  exceeded   by  Z 

I  ;To:7'  T^  ^'^''^"'^  '-'''  '^  ''^  conclnsion,laf 
th  T,^    r     ^-'^  '  -'rr  '"'""  '•^^^'•'«^'  acquainted  with  ^ 
the  a.t,  at  some  era  udiabited  that  region  of  country 

For  a  trait  of  national  practice  so  strong  nnd  palpable  as  is  ' 

: 'eii:f':;;r:;;''^''"''  -r'  ^'---'wi^houtMSo:;'' 

]  ^viiu  II   tlio  J?.g.ptiun8  niav   ndeed  bp  ro/.L- 

oned  „n,„ng  ,|,e  fi,,,  „„,i„„,,  „,  !,i..„,.y  ,.,Ll'fad=ca,Ltf' 

V  nH,°n  tf  r:r'      :«'■""'  '''«"*■  »"''  «-  -I-aHeled  t 

But  the  antiquarian  record  of  those  regions  has  not  left  ns 

^fZ:u7'  ^"  T  ""''     ^"^  ''''^'-'^  chisera!:' th 
Instor  '  7^'V''*^^°  «^!«  contributed  their  part  to  record  the 
iiistoiy  of  American  antiquity. 

rivtr  abonH  "'  ^"7  '"  ''"  "^''^'''•"^  '^''"'  ^^  the  Ohio 
nve,,  about  twenty  miles  below  the  junction  of  the  WabasiC 


I. 


I  V' 


20 


ANTIQUARIAN  KESEARCHES, 


the  interior  walls  are  smooth,  and  covered  with  paintinga  and 
Bculpture,  grouped  in  sections  ana  clusters,  that  bear  the  evi- 
dent  impress  of  primitive  design.     On  the  rocks  ofDighton, 
m  Massachusetts,  near  the  sea,  have  been  .{iscovered  Phoeni- 
oian  letters,  legibly  engraved ;  a  strong  evidence  of  the  pres- 
ence of  PhcBuicians,  or  their  descendants,  on  this  continent, 
at  some  unknown  time.     On  the  island  of  Malta,  in  the  Med- 
iterranean,  we  learn,  from  various  historians,  the  Phoenicians 
once  held  dominion,  and  were  in  the  habit  of  depositing  their 
dead  in  caves,    l^ear  the  junction  of  the  Illinois  river  with 
the   Mississippi,  we  discovered   and  entered   one  of  those 
Phoenician  depositories,  containing  a  mass  of  dust  resembling 
the  decomposition  of  animal  matter,  equal  to  the  remains  of 
thousands.    And  in  various  earth-works  of  the  west,  we  also 
tnd,  m  deposite,  the  murix-shell  — a  sea  shell-fish  from  which 
the  ancients  procured  the  famous  Tjrian  purple  dye,  used  in 
coloring  the  royal  robes  of  kings.     Tliis  shell  is  known  to 
have  been  highly  esteemed  by  the  Hindus,  and  is  used  by 
their  Brarains  as  the  musical  instrument  of  their  gods. 

Thus  in  the  bosom  of  the  turf-clad  mound,  in  the  hidden 
caverns  of  the  earth,  in  the  remains  of  the  coil,  in  the  customs 
ot  nations  buried  in  time,  aided  by  art  and  science,  by  the 
Bcnlptor's  chisel  and  painter's  pencil,  we  are  enabled  to  trace 
arnid  the  gloom  of  barbarian  rule,  the  ancient  existence  of  the 
Koman,  the  Grecian,  the  Persian,  the  Egyptian,  the  Phoeni- 
cian,  the  Dane,  and  the  Hijidoo. 
,      This  continent,  situated  as  it  is,  embracing  almost  every 
habitable  climate  of  the  globe,  with  such  an  immense  amount 
of  fertile  soil,  susceptible  of  so  dense  a  population,  has  been, 
and  ,s  destined  again  to  become,  the  great  hive  oi  nations. 
All  Europe  is  pouring  forth  her  swarms,  and  America  is 
hiving  them  ;  the  towering  forest  of  the  north  bows  down  be- 
fore them,  while  the  wide-spread  plains  of  the  prairie  in  the 
west  are  continually  receiving  them,  but  the  red  man's  days 
are  numbered.    And  when  we  contemplate  this  diversity  of 
population,  differing   Ih   manners,  customs,  habits,  and  re- 
ligion,^ it  no  longer  remains  a  matter  of  wonder  that  his  total 
sxtmction  should  be  the  result. 


INTEODUCTOEY  CHAPTEB.  21 

Little  less  than  three  centuries  ago,  North  America  was 
exdnsive  y  occupied  by  the  red  man  of  the  woods.    The  ver^ 
sod  on  which  we  tread  and  toil,  three  centuries  ago  sustained 
i^s  nulhons  of  human  beings  without  the  aid  of  axe  or  plough 
Eut  whuher  have  they  gone?    Forty-two  tribes,  familiafly 

a  half,  hpe  become  entirely  extinct,  and  have  scarcely  left  I 
trace   of   national    existence   behind   them.      PhilanLxmic 
statesmen  may  fold  their  arms,  and  tell  us  they  a    ".    fng 
hem  west;  but  forty-two  tribes  bear  mournful' estimonyt! 
the  fact  that  we  are  moving  them  to  eternity.    Two  centuries 
from  the   date   of  our  independence   wilf  leave   our  mo 
remote  western  frontier  without  an  Indian-trail.     Five  ce"tu 
nes  from  the  date  of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  at  Ply  1th' 
wi  I  hav.  extinguished   and    buried   in  oblivion  the  en S 
nationality  of  unnumbered  millions.    And  if  such  be  the  fk  e 
of  na  ions  that  have  once  possessed  this  magnificent  country 
If  such  utter  extinction  be  the  manifest  des«ny  of  thelordf; 
race  that  have  made  their  homes  and  their  graves  on  and 
under  the  soil  we  now  tread  upon,  certainly  fhe  American 
will  value  researches  which  have  been  made  witht'iew  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  nations  that  have  preceded  tW 
that  are  now  falling  into  ruin.  ® 

The  author  has  opened  their  sepulchres  and  viewed  the  al- 
most m  credible  masses  of  their  dust,  has  entered  their  catt 
combs  and  handled  their  embalmed  bodies,  has  trave"  d 
their  funereal  caves  entombing  thousands  of  their  dead,  and 
now  offers  to  t  e  public  a  portion  of  the  results  of  his  ^. 
gat.ons  with  the  earnest  hope  that  his  labors  have  not  be^-n 
altogether  vam,  and  that  he  may  at  least  reap  a  reward  in 
finding  attention  aroused  to  the  great  works  of  American  an- 


:.:.  H 


,    * 
t  i 


IPS 


33 


ANTIQUAEIAN   EESEAKCHBS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

CONICAL   STONE   CEMFTEEIES. 


Aboriginal  Cemetery, 


TK  Frederic  county,  in  the  state  of  Yirginia,  in  the  spring  of 
•:*-  1812,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  the  remains  of  an  an- 
cient stone-work  that  had  previously  been  partially  demol- 
ished by  the  removal  of  about  fou^  hundred  wagon-loads  of 
stone,  used  in  the  construction  of  a  mill-dam  in  the  vicinity. 
(See  plate  II,  figure  1.)    This  work  was  situated  on  or  near 
the  summit  of  a  prominent  elevation  of  undulating  land  that 
commanded  an  extensive  view  of  the  lowland,  or  second  ter- 
race of  the  Oppequan  creek,  where,  as  we  judge  from  the 
many  relics  that  have  been  found  scattered  on  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  and  laid  bare  by  the  share  of  the  plough,  there 
once  stood  a  populous  Indian  village,  now  represented  by  the 
infant  village  of  Wadesville,  situated  about  nine  miles  north- 
east of  Winchester. 
This  stonework  was  located  about  one  fourth  of  a  mile 


-CONICAL   STONE   CEMK'i,.AT. 


S3 


southwest  of  tlie  village.    It  occupied  a  base  of  about  seventy 
feet,  and  previous  to  the  first  work  of  demolition,  towered  to 
the  height  of  thirty  feet.     The  work  was  of  circular  fori„ 
gradually  contracting  from  base  to  summit,  terminating  in  a 
sharp  cone,  resemblh.g  in  general  outline  the  common  form 
of  tlie  truncated  earthen,  mound  of  the  west ;   the  exterior 
structure  was  firm  and  compact,  being  laid  with  care,  and 
composed  of  stone  of  various  dimensions  and  natural  forrtj 
beanng  no  mark  of  tools.     The  main  body  or  interior  portion 
ot  the  work  from  near  the  base,  seemed  to  have  been  formed  of 
stone  ot  various  sizes,  of  from  four  to  fourteen  inches  in  diame- 
ter    pronu'scuously  thrown  together  to  the  summit,  mingled 
with  iractured  bone,  apparently  in  the  last  stage  of  decompo- 
sition. ^ 

Having  become  a  resident  of  the  farm  on  which  it  stood 
we  frequently  visited  the  premises  for  the  purpose  of  examin- 
ing its  contents  and  primitive  design,  urrtil  ultimately  we 
came  to  the  conclusion,  that  it  was  an  Indian  cemetery,  and 
for  several  years  our  reverence  for  the  dead  permitted  it  to 
remain  without  further  desecration,  and  we  visited  it  only  as 
a  place  of  contemplative  resort.     Finally,  however,  in  con- 
versation with  an  antiquarian  friend.  Doctor  Johnson,  he  re- 
marked, that  he  viewed  it  not  as  a  cemetery  in  common,  used 
for  the  interment  of  the  dead  at  the  time  of  their  death,  but 
thought  that  it  had  been  formed  in  the  deposite  of  the  bones 
of  the  dead  gathered  together  from  distant  and  remote  points, 
and  th.at  it  had  been  a  monument  of  national  import. 

He  further  remarked,  that  his  great-grandmother  had  been 
many  years  in  captivity  among  Indians,  and  became  "ac- 
quainted with  many  of  their  ancient  traditions;  among  which 
they  held  one  relative  to  the  origin  and  use  of  the  stone 
mound,  representing  it  to  be  of  ancient  national  import,  dedi- 
cated to  the  great,  containing  only  the  relics  of  great  kings, 
prophets,  and  chiefs  of  signal  renown,  that  were  gathered  to- 
gether periodically,  and  deposited  in  strata  from  time  to 
time  until  the  monument  was  full,  when  a  new  cemetery  was 
commenced.  After  receiving  in  detail  the  foregoing  tra- 
dition, my  curiosity  became  so  much  excited  that  reverence 


I: 


24 


ANTIQUARIAN  RESEARCHES. 


faltered,  and  I  recommenced  the  work  of  desecration.  TLe 
work  being  yet  about  six  feet  high,  I  resolved  on  penetrating 
thtJ  centre  to  the  base ;  and,  at  the  cost  of  much  labor,  removed 
the  stone.  Opening  a  space  of  about  five  feet  in  diameter,  I 
descended,  occasionally  finding  some  small  or  broken  decay- 
ed bones,  imtU  finally  I  came  in  contact  with  a  flat  rock  that 
I  was  unable  to  remove  without  additional  aid ;  I,  however, 
soon  secured  the  assistance  of  some  schoolmates,  and  raised 
the  slab,  when  we  discovered  a  vault  of  three  feet  in  length 
two  m  breadth,  and  fourteen  inches  deep;  this  vault  con! 
tamed  a  considerable  quantity  of  dust,  mingled  with  small 
particles  of  bone  that  were  brittle  and  easily  broken. 

On  examination  it  was  readily  ascertained,  that  this  rude 
Btone  vault  was  first  erected  on  the  surface  of  the  earth 
and  covered  with  stone  promiscuously  thrown  around  and 
upon  It.  The  work  remained  without  further  molestation  for 
several  years,  until,  finally,  in  the  construction  of  a  railroad 
from  Wmchester  to  Harper's  Ferry,  it  was  totally  demolished, 
the  track  striking  its  centre,  and  an  excavation  of  several  feet 
being  required,  no  vestige  now  remains  to  mark  the  spot 
where  the  dust  of  ancient  heroes  lay. 

This  vaulted  place  of  deposite  so  rationally  according  in 
Its  contents  with  the  doctor's  tradition,  engendered  a  desire 
tor  the  acquisition  of  Indian  tradition  that  thirty-five  years 
has  failed  to  entirely  satiate,  and  the  author  indulges  the  hope 
that  before  the  red-man's  inevitable  doom  of  total  extinction 
IS  consummated,  many  of  the  mysteries  that  now  becloud  the 
antiquarian  page,  may  be  rationally  made  clear. 

The  stone  mounds  or  cemeteries  of  North  America  are  evi- 
.dently  of  Indian  origin,  and  were  copied  from  the  more  an- 
cient mound  of  earth.    Abundant  evidence  of  that  fact  is 
Lad,  not  only  in  tradition,  but  also  in  the  fact  that  they  uni- 
vei-sally  present  themselves  as  cemeteries,  wherever  they  are 
found,  which  is  most  evidenMy  not  the  case  with  earth-works  • 
of  other  and  varied  forms.     But  wherever  the  earthen  mound 
IS  satisfoctorily  recognised  as  a  cemetery,  it  appears  in  the 
conical  form.    The  entire  absence  of  earth-works  in  lar^e  dis- 
tricts of  country  where  the  stone  mounds  abound,  is  evidence 


SAOBiriCIAL   STONE  CEMETEET.  35 

of  distinct  originalitj,  tl.at  is  also  further  sustained  in  the 
fact,  that  the  stone  mound  has  not  yet  been  known  to  contain 
Jn  deposite,  any  article  indicative  of  art  more  refined  than 
those  common  among  savage  nations.  Nor  cxo  they  present 
the  various  modes  of  deposite  indicated  in  the  mound  of  earth 
In  the  total  and  partial  demolition  of  many  stone  cemeterie/ 
we  have  only  discovered  one  that  retained  indications  of  fire.' 

SACRIFICIAL   STONE   CEMETERY. 

About  four  miles  west  of  Winchester,  in  Virginia,  on  the 
prenuses  recently  in  the  possession  of  Doctor  Gray,  may  yet 
be  seen  the  relics  of  the  only  stone  cemetery  that  we  have  dis- 
covered bearing  the  impress  of  fire.  The  greater  portion  of 
8  inatenal  havmg  been  removed,  it  now  appears  in  the 
structure  of  stone  fences  enclosing  the  land  over  which  it  once 
iay  promiscuously  strewn.     (See  plate  H,  fie  2  ) 

This  cemetery  although  of  small  dimensions  compared  with 
many  others  of  similar  form,  presents  features  distinct  fro.,  all 
others  that  appear  east,  of  the  Allegany  Mountains.  Al- 
though  similar  in  exterior  form  and  arrangement,  the  interior 
central  base  bears  the  evident  impress  of  intense  heat 

Ihe  primitive  base  diameter  of  this  work  was  about  twenty- 
five  feet,  and  the  perpendicular  altitude  eleven.   In  removing 
the  upper  portion  of  this  work,  we  discovered  nothing  singiv 
lar  in  the  arrangement  of  material,  but  found  many  fragments 
ofdecaj-^ed  bone  as  we  descended,  until  M-e  approached  the 
base.    About  fourteen  inches  above  the  surface  of  the  primi- 
tive earth,  we  came  in  contact  with  a  stratum  of  small  stone 
nnngled  w.th  earth  and  small  particles  of  charcoal,  about  six 
nches  m  depth;    on  removing  this  stratum,  we  discovered 
that  It  rested    on    a   firm,   solid    pavement  of   sandstone, 
that  ^^as  regularly  arranged  and  difiicult  to  remove.     The 
body  ot  tins  work  was  formed  of  blue  limestone.     Our  in- 
ci-eased  curiosity  dictated   the  entire  removal  of  the  upper 
™  and  this  being  done,  the  pavement  presented  the  1^ 

3n  depfh   curbed  around  with  flat  stone  placed  on  edge,  in- 
chning  slightly  inward.    On  removing  this  pavement,  wo  dis- 


! 


[| 


1 

1 
i 

:     1 

i 

'  1 

i 
1 

1 

26 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEARCnKB* 


covered  tl.at  tlie  stones  bore  the  impress  of  fire,  and  as  we 
advanced  to  the  centre,  indicated  great  heat;  some  of  them 
crumbled  in  removing,  and  others  were  easily  broken. 

Some  suppose  this  basin  to  have  been  used  in  the  offering 
of  sacrifice,  others,  that  it  was  designed  for  a  furnace  to  smelt 
metal,  and  some  of  our  frontier  Indians,  with  whom  we  con- 
versed,  represent  it  to  have  been  used  as  a  festival  oven,  in 
which  animals  were  roasted  whole.  This  latter  seems  the 
most  rational  idea,  as  the  ceremony  of  roasting  the  festival- 
dog  whole,  is  yet  observed  by  some  tribes  who  dig  a  pit  and 
fill  it  with  heated  rock,  the  aninial  being  enveloped,  and  the 
pit-covered  with  earth  to  retain  the  steatn.  The  dog-feast 
being  a  sacred  feast,  the  oven  would  consequently  be  held 
in  reverential  esteem,  and  may  have  been  used  as  the  sacred 
repos.toiy  of  the  last  relics  of  a  migrating  nation,  or  as  a 
sacred  cemetery  by  their  conquerors. 

That  this  spot  was  esteemed  sacred,  is  further  attested  in  the 
appearance  of  six  ancient  excavations  running  in  a  due  west 
Ime  from  the  cemetery,  resembling  those  now  seen  west  of  the 
mountains,  traditionally  represented,  by  some  of  the  abori- 
gines, to  have  been  used  in  the  ceremonial  preparation  of  the 
lestivaldoir. 

^  That  those  excavations  are  of  very  ancient  origin  is  attested 
m  the  presence  of  timber  of  several  centuries' growth  firmly 
rooted  ,n  the  embankments  formed  in  the  excavations 

The  superficial  observer,  however,  may  not  be  esteemed  al- 
together chimerical  in  fancying  t],at  he  recognised  nnneral 
pits,  inasmuch  as  they  do  resemble  in  relative  position  the 
excavations  that  are  found  in  the  lead  regions  of  the  ]^^orth- 
western  territory,  and  known  to  be  old  Indian  lead-diirginc^s- 
butthe  more  critical  observer  will  readily  find  manit'^st 
dissimilarity  in  form;  the  excavations  termed  Old  Indian- 
diggings  being  circular,  while  these  are  oblong,  preserving 
the  form  of  the  Indians'  festival-oven.  From  ignorance  of  this 
pecuhar  distinction,  the  unpractised  prospector  in  newly-dis- 
covered mineral  regions,  frequently  bestows  much  toil  in  vain 
Thus  in  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  we  can  not  but  rec- 
ognise m  Doctor  Graf,  Indian  giave,  a  sacrificial  cemetery. 


STONE   CEMETERY. 


97 


STONE   CEMETERY. 

In  the  vicinify  of  tl.e  upper  source  of  n  small  stream  called 
tl.e  Cow-Pasture,  in  Bath  county,  Virginia,  on  a  pron.inent 
e.evation,  surronr.dod  on  all  sides  l>y  precipitous  declivities 
we  discovered  a  mediuu.-sized  stone-work,  l.avinc,  thirty  feet 
ba«e  duuneter,  and  eight  feet  in  height,  of  conic.S  form,  and 
winch  rema.ning  unmolested,  presented  a  rare  invitatilm  to 
cnt.cal   research.     (See   plate  II,  fig.  3.)     It  being  formed 
of  small  stone,  we  comme.iced  the  work  of  demolition  at  the 
enmmit,and  continued  to  descend  to  the  depth  of  about  two 
toet;  we  there  came  in  contact  with  a  thin  flat  stone  about 
two  and  a  half  feet  sqnare,  and  three  inches  thick,  bearin..  no 
mark  of  tools  except  the  rude  outline  of  the  form  of  the  deer 
eculptured  on  the  lower  surface;  after  carefully  removino-  the 
Bono_above,_we  raised  the  slab-rock,  and  readily  perceived 
that  It  was  intended  as  a  cap,  or  covering,  to  a"  singularly- 
formed  vault,  evidently  designed  for  the  reception  of  a  hu- 
man  body  in  standing  pnsture.   It  was  about  six  feet  in  depth 
and  in  form  resembled   an  inverted  churn,  or  firkin,  bein^ 
widest  at  the  top;  it  was  constructed  of  flat  stone,  rudely  ar- 
ranged in  circles,  without  slime  or  mortar,  and  presented  a 
tolerably  smooth  interior  surface.     It  contained  some  frag- 
ments of  bone  mingled  with  dust,  with  no  other  perceivable 
deposite      On    urther  examination  we  discovered  on  either 
B.de  of  the  vault,  fragments  of  bone  apparently  deposited  in 
two  stratums,  as  represented  in  cut  3.     This  work  seems  to 
occupy  an  isolated  position,  there  being  no  other  stone-works 
ofanc.en.  origm  in  the  vicinity,  and  in  the  examination  of 
many  stone-works  in  various  portions  of  the  country,  we  have 
discovered  but  one  similar  in  construction 


38 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCHES. 


I 

I      * 


1 


if  m 


CEMETERY   OF   EARTH    AND   8TONE8. 

This  is  a  singular  work,  situated  in  tlie  midst  of  tlie  Alle- 
ghany mountains,  about  twelve  miles  south  of  the  National 
road,  leading  from  Cumberland  to  Wheeling,  in  Viiginia,  on 
or  near  the  great  Crossings  river,  and  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Bame.  My  attention  was  called  to  it  by  J.  Smitii,  an  aged 
pioneer,  and  old  hunter  in  those  regions,  with  whom  I  acci- 
dently  entered  into  controversy,  a!)out  the  existence  of 
earthen  mounds  in  the  mountains,  and  by  whom  I  was  kindly 
piloted  to,  and  aided  in  the  examination  of  this  one.  It  pre- 
sents a  novel  and  singular  feature  in  the  annals  of  tuumlus 
record.    (See  plate  II,  fig.  4.) 

On  approaching  the  work,  it  presented  to  view  a  regularly- 
formed  truncated  earthen  mound,  having  a  base  diameter  of 
eighteen  feet,  and  a  perpendicular  altitude  of  seven  and  a 
half,  being  clad  with  dwarfish  laurel  and  other  diminutive 
shrubbery  and  herbage  thinly  scattered  over  the  surface. 

I  ascended  to  the  summit  and  commenced  an  excava- 
tion in  the  centre,  while  the  old  man,  aided  by  his  two  sons, 
started  a  drift  at  the  base.  After  penetrating  to  the  depth  of 
about  fourteen  inches,  I  came  in  contact  with  a  smooth,  flat 
stone  of  black  slate,  of  about  thirty  inches  in  diameter,  and 
two  and  a  half  inches  thick.  This  arrested  the  attention  of 
my  companions,  and  they  ascended  to  aid  in  disinterring  it. 
In  removing  this  stone,  we  opened  a  vault  precisely  similar 
to  that  discovered  near  the  Cow-Pasture,  containing  a  skele- 
ton, or  parts  of  a  skeleton,  much  decayed ;  the  skull,  how- 
ever, retained  form  suflaciently  perfect  to  warrant  its  identifi- 
cation with  the  human  species,  but  too  much  decayed  for  pres- 
ervation. The  body  was  evidently  interred  in  an  upright  po- 
suion,  but  the  decayed  bone  had  tumbled  into  confusion.  I 
proposed  putting  the  cap  on  the  vault,  and  replacing  the 
earth;  but  the  old  man  responded,  that  "it  was  a  d — ^d  In- 
dian, and  he  would  never  show  them  any  quarter,  dead  or 
alive;  they  murdered  his  mother,  crippled  his  father,  and 
had  shot  at  him,  but  he  had  bored  ninfiteen  holes  in  their 
bides,  and  he  would  now  mash  that  skull,  and  make  it  an 


CEMETERY   OF   EARTH   AND  BTONES.  gj) 

even  score ;'  and  he  raised  a  large  stone  and  hurled  it 
with  force  to  the  bottom  of  the  vault,  crushing  the  little  mass 
of  bone  to  dust. 

On  further  examination,  we  discovered  that  the  coat  of 
earth  that  concealed  the  interior  stone  cemetery  was  much 
thicker  at  the  base,  presenh'ng  a  body  of  four  feet  f.-om  the 
surface  to  the  stone-work;    thus  it  is  ascertained   that  the 
stone  occupied  a  base  of  ten  feet,  and  a  perpendicular  altitude 
of  about  SIX,  that  was  probably  covered  when  first  formed 
with  a  stratum  of  earth  of  about  two  feet  in  depth     This 
from  the  wear  and  wash  of  time,  would  necessari  y  increase 
he   body  at  the  oase.    At  what  era,  and  by  wh't  peop  e 
his  cemetery  was  constructed,  yet  remains  to  be  ascertained 
but  I  unagme  it  to  have  been  a  freak  of  fancy,  indubred  bv 
some  eccentric  individual  of  notoriety  among  the  stone  mound 
builders.    This  being  the  only  one  of  that  order  of  construo 

to  attach  to  It  a  national  character,  independent  of  the  earth 
or  stone-mound  builders,  but  leave  it  as  I  find  it,  an  amal- 
gamation or  union  of  both. 

And  I  remark  that  in  the  examination  of  stone-mounds  in 
Yirg.ma,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Ohio,  and  Indiana,  much 
the  greater  number  present  bones  generally  dispersed  through- 
out  the  body  of  the  work.   In  some,  however,  system  or  order 
18  apparent  in  the  appearance  of  bones  indicating   regular 
strat^  of  deposile  one  above  the  other,  and  about  fifteen  miles 
northwest  of  Lafayette,  in  Indiana,  I  find  a  large  number 
of  small  stone  piles  adjacent  to  each  other,  indicative  of  single 
deposite^  Thus  I  have  discovered  in  the  progress  of  exam 
mat.on  five  various  modes  of  deposits  observed  by  the  stone- 
mound  builder. 

And  yet  I  do  not  believe  the  deposite  of  the  dead  in 
stone-mounds,  ever  was  practised  in  America  as  a  general  or 
common  mode  of  burial  by  the  masses,  even  of  the  stone 
mound  builders.  The  isolation  alone  fo'rbids  the  indulgence 
of  the  opinion  even  m  regions  where  they  abound  most,  inde- 
pendant  o.  the  fact  that  large  territories  of  country  are  en- 
tirely destitute  of  them.  ^ 


30 


iCNTTQUARIAN   RESKAROnKB. 


CHAPTER  ir. 


il 


i!    ,i 


ii'.  I      tin 


MODERN    ABOKIOINAL   CEMETERY. 

A  MONG  tho  North  American  Indians  of  tlie  present  day,  va- 
-^  rions  modes  of  depositinj;  tlie  dead  are  practised;  almost 
every  tribe  has  its  peculiarity  iti  mode  of  burial ;  I  desij^n, 
however,  to  treat  of  those  ordy  with  which  I  am  personally 
familiar.  I  would  observe,  in  this  connection,  that  most  of 
the  tribes  that  linger  aloiif^  tho  lines  of  civilization  occa- 
sionally inter  the  dead  in  imitation  of  their  white  neighboi's 
but  they  rarely  sink  their  pits  more  than  eighteen  inches 
or  two  feet  deep,  and  manifest  an  aversion  to  deep  graves, 
especially  mothers  in  bnrying  their  departed  infants. 

Along  the  lines  of  our  frontier  settlements  the  mother,  in 
depositing  her  infant,  seeks  the  most  secluded  spot  in  some 
narrow  vale  near  a  stream  of  living  water,  on  the  second  ter- 
race of  the  stream,  that  is  not  subject  to  inundation,  where 
she  imagines  the  white  man  will  never  fix  his  habitation. 

To  such  a  spot  she  bears  her  babe,  accompanied  by  a  few 
near  relatives,  and  with  her  own  hands  removes  whatever 
may  chance  to  occupy  the  spot  of  her  choice ;  then,  with  a 
email  hoe  or  hatchet,  scoops  out  an  area  sufficiently  capacious 
to  receive  the  body.  She  then  gathers  dry  leaves  and  makes 
a  soft  coxich  upon  which  she  places  the  child,  snugly  folded 
in  a  skin  or  small  blanket,  around  which  the  mother  and  near 
relatives  form  a  circle,  to  give  vent  in  grief,  in  singing  a 
death  dirge,  all  in  sitting  posture.  They  weep  freely,  beat- 
ing the  earth  with  their  hands  for  the  space  of  about  one  liour; 
then  arise  and,  all  except  the  mother,  retire  to  gather  bark  or 
suitable  sticks,  to  form  a  covering  for  the  corpse.  Wlien 
ffatherfd,  she  'nlnces  them  around  and  over  the  bod"  in  sv-"!' 
manner  or  form  as  her  fancy  may  dictate,  then  all  unite  in 


MODERN     AnoRIQINAL    CEMRTEBT. 


all  unite  in 


81 


covcnng  tl.o  pile  with  lonves  nnd  onrth  to  ti.e  depth  of  Hhout 
four  n.ches.    They  then  cut  small  p„le9  and  n.uko  etakes  that 
tiiey  drive  in  the  ground  in  a  circle  as  represented  In  Fif  6 
plate  ir.    They  then  obtain  a  stake  from  which  they  rem'c'e 
the  hark,  and  make  it  an  white  and  smooth  as  poRsiblo,  about 
live  feet  long,  and  drive  it  in  the  gronnd  outside  of  the  en- 
closure    near  the  grave.     On   this  stake  they  place  a  white 
«ag.     rh.8  flag  ,9  designed  to  act  as  a  guard  or  protection 
against  the  encroachment  of  carniverous  ammals,  and  answers 
the  purpose  adnn'rahly,  for  no  ferocious  animal  will  npproach 
It;  and  thus  the  body  is  protected,  and  permitted  to  decay 
unmolested  on  the  surfjico  of  the  earth. 

If  the  infant  be  a  male,  entitled  to  hereditary  chiefdom,  or 
other  honors,  hieroglyph ical  characters  are  impressed  with 
voTmdion  on  the  guard  stake,  indicative  of  that  fact;  but  if 
a  female,  the  white  stake  is  dispensed  with,  and  several  white 
Hags  are  appended  to  the  longer  stakes  that  enclose  the  grave 
as  represented  in  Fig  5,  plate  H.     I„  the  spring  of  1842  I 
^v:tnessed  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  a  male  infant,  near' a 
emal   stream  called  Sly-magill,  a  tributary  of  the  Mississippi. 
m  Chiyton  county,  Iowa,  near  a  large  spring  of  pure  water 
that  r.ses  withm  a  tew  poles  of  the  stream  on  its  south  side 
about  two  miles  distant  from  the  river.     The  child   was  J 
inemberof  the  family  of  Wah-con  De-co-ra,  principal  chief  of 
the  Wmnebago  nation,  and  a  great  number  of  hieroglyphical 
characters  were  impressed  upon  the  stake  of  protection;  indi- 
ca  iveof  hneal  descent;  but  my  endeavors  to  obtain  a  literal 
reildermg,  -were   vain,    my  acquaintance  with  their  langua«.e 
being  huHted   and  most  of  the  party  being  in  a  state  of  intox- 
ication.    I  also  witnessed  the  funeral  of  a  female  child  in- 
terred with  similar  ceremonies,  about  seven  miles  distant 
near  a  small  stream  denominated  the  Bloody-run     In  this 
case  there  was  no  hieroglyphical  stake,  but  many  white  vacrs 
^v'eI•e  pendent  on  the  stakes,  constituting  the  enclosure  repil 
Bented  in  Plate  II.  fig.  6.  ^ 

The  mode  of  interment  of  children  that  can  claim  no  genea- 


1 


opfinn 


scribed. 


.ascent  from  ehiofdum 


19  similar  to  that  above  de- 


I 


except  as  to  the  manner  of  enclosure,  theii 


graves 


f 


S9 


▲NTIQUAKIAN   KE8EARCHE8. 


heing  secnred  by  a  j)en  covered  with  small  poles,  and  tho 
white  rug  being  suflpended  from  a  small  polo  placed  at  the 
head  or  foot  of  the  grave. 

In  the  funerals  of  adults,  I  observed  four  modes  of  deposito 
of  which  figures  7,  8,  9,  and  10  are  descriptive.  Fig.  7 
represents  a  body  placed  on  the  ground  at  the  root  of  some 
favorite  tree,  designated  by  the  individual  previous  to  death; 
the  body  is  sustained  in  a  sitting  posture  by  means  of  bark  or 
cords  that  are  drawn  around  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  pressing 
the  body  close  to  the  same,  and  is  guarded  by  flags  until,  in 
decomposition,  it  falls  to  the  earth.  The  bones  are  then  re- 
moved by  the  surviving  friends,  and  deposited  in  piles,  with 
those  of  their  nation  that  have  died  before  them. 

Fig.  8  presents  a  view  of  the  body  of  an  Indian  suspended 
in  his  canoe  between  two  trees,  where  it  remains  until  the 
canoe  decays  and  tumbles  to  the  earth.  His  bones  are  then 
removed  as  above.  Fig.  9  repres'^nts  a  body  laid  on  the 
ground,  and  enclosed  in  a  pole-pen. 

.  Fig.  10  represents  a  body  lying  on  a  scaifold  formed  by 
setting  posts  or  forks  in  the  ground,  upon  which  poles  are 
placed.  The  body,  rolled  in  skins  or  blanket,  is  laid  thereon 
where  it  remains  until  the  structure  decays,  and  the  bonea 
fall  to  the  earth :  they  are  then  heaped  together,  and  decay 
in  mass. 


SOUTH    AMERICAN   TUMULI. 


Z9 


CEAPTER  III. 

SOUTH   AMERICAN  TUMULI. 

TTAVIN"G  presented  tl.o  reader  with  a  elcetch  of  some  of 
■*-A  the  circumstances  that  prompted  us  to  an  early  investi- 
gation  of  this  subject,  with  the  results  in  reference  to  the  stone 
cemeteries  of  I^Torth  America,  I  now  proceed  to  detail  the 
incKlents  that  finally  led  us  to  the  critical  examination  of 
tumuli. 

Trevious  to  my  exploration  of  the  great  valley  of  the  Mis- 
sissipp,  I  resolved  on  visiting  South  America.  On  the  3d 
ot  March,  1826,  I  secured  passage  on  board  the  DouHass 
Captam  Fowler,  bound  from  the  city  of  New  York  for  the 
island  of  Curagoa,  and  in  t.venty-one  days  we  arrived  at  that 
port,  where  I  again  shipped  on  a  email  schooner  for  the 
continent. 

_  The  wind  being  fair,  and  the  weather  fine,  we  soon  came 
in  sight  of  the  towering  peaks  of  the  majestic  mountains 
tliat  skirt  the  coast,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  second  day 
found  our  vessel  safely  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Porto  Cabel- 
lo,  a  strongly-fortified  commercial  city,  inhabited  by  a  motley 
mixture  ot  nations,  varying  in  color  from  a  pale  sallow  white 
to  the  blackness  of  ebony.  After  spending  a  few  d-vs  in  this 
city,  I  resolved  to  visit  the  interior  of  the  country^  and  for 
that  purpose  purchased  a  mule,  and  engaged  an  interpreter. 

About  the  1st  of  April,  I  set  out  with  Antonio,  my  inter- 
preter,  for  Yalencia,  a  small  inland  town  on  the  plains  dis- 
tant  from  the  sea  about  twenty-five  miles.  After  proceeding 
a  tew  miles,  we  began  to  ascend  one  of  the  lofty  spurs  of  the 
Andes,  by  a  crooked  and  narrow  way,  winding  around  the 
points  of  frightful  precipices:  but  we  reaobprl  t),o  o„mr";-  ■- 
eatety,  and  found  ourselves  perched  on  a  pinnacle  several 


I 


34 


ANTIQUARIAN   KESEARCHES. 


!  IE ! 


4 


thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean,  of  which  it  com- 
manded an  extensive  vievsr.  Here  we  dismounted  to  enjoy, 
for  a  short  time,  the  luxury  of  the  mountain  breeze. 

Seating  myself  on  the  summit  of  a  huge  rock  that  com- 
manded an  extensive  view  of  water  and  land,  I  cast  my 
eyes  on  the  sea,  and  beheld,  with  varying  emotions  several 
sail  that  were  hutneward  bound. 

Turning  to  the  land,  a  prospect  the  most  sublime  that  I  had 
ever  beheld,  greeted  iny  vision,  in  view  of  an  unbroken  chain 
of  lofty  mountains  on  my  left,  clad  in  shrubbery  and  grass, 
green  and  ripe,  presenting  the  rainbow  shades  of  green  piled 
up  in  rolling  waves  as  far  as  sight  could  scan.  On  my  right 
lay  a  vast  plain  in  graceful  undulation  on  which  the  horizon 
Beemed  to  rest,  and  in  their  midst  tiie  little  fresh-water  lake 
of  Valencia  fanned  by  gentle  zephyrs,  presenting  a  bosom 
that  resembled  molten  silver  bordered  with  graceful  green. 

After  enjoying  the  cool,  refreshing  breeze  for  about  an 
hour,  we  resumed  our  journey,  and  soon  reached  the  village 
of  VaHncia,  where  I  found  an  old  school-Uiate  with  whom  I 
had  previously  spent  many  days  in  youthful  pastime.  He 
•welcomed  me  to  his  home,  and  introduced  me  to  his  wife,  a 
tid}',  little,  dark  woman  —  heiress,  however,  to  a  wealthy 
Frenchman  who  resided  in  the  vicinity. 

Thence,  in  company  with  my  friend,  Mr.  R.  Eey,  and 
othei'S,  I  proceeded  on  a  visit  to  the  battle-field  of  Carra- 
bobn.  At  that  place  avast  number  of  human  bones  remain 
to  bleach  on  the  earth,  and  present  a  melancholy  featuie  in 
the  landscape. 

OI)serving  in  the  vicinity  a  large  earthen  mound,  our  at- 
tention was  arrested,  and  we  proceeded  to  examine  the  struc- 
ture, and  soon  perceived  that  it  resembled  in  form  others  that 
I  had  previously  noticed  in  North  America.  On  our  return 
to  Valencia  we  visited  a  group  of  truncated  mounds,  more 
diminutive  in  size;  but,  on  critical  examination,  we  perceived 
apparent  order  atid  relative  arrangement — the  entire  group 
occupying  a  square  area  of  about  ten  aores,  with  a  momid  in 
the  centre,  larger  than  any  otiier  in  the  group,  surrounded  by 
a  circular  i':;n;,'e  of  small  works.     The  novelty  of  the  arrange- 


which  it  com* 

ited  to  enjoy, 

eze. 

ck  that  com- 

d,  I  cast  my 

ttioDs    several 

me  that  I  had 
ibroken  chain 
•y  and  grass, 
•f  green  piled 
On  my  right 
1  tlie  horizon 
sli- water  lake 
:ing  a  bosom 
:eful  green, 
for  about  an 
id  the  village 
with  whom  I 
lastime.  He 
to  his  wife,  a 

0  a  wealthy 

S.  Rey,  and 
'Id  of  Carra- 
jones  remain 
ily  feature  in 

>nnd,  our  at- 
ine  the  striic- 
n  others  that 
)n  our  return 
lounds,  more 
-ve  perceived 
entire  group 

1  a  mound  in 
rronnded  by 
the  arrange- 


SOUTH   AMERICAN   TUMULI.  35 

ment  induced  me  to  enter  in  my  diary  a  descriptive  note 
dated  May  9th  1826.  On  my  way  from  Yalenda  to  Ca 
acas,  I  observed  some  small  works  that  were  partially  de- 
Btroyed,  and  tarrying  at  St.  Philippi,  where  w^e^aseed^e 
Hght,  we  were  mformed  by  a  padre  that  there  was  Tsinlu 
ar  arrangement  of  earth-work  about  thirty  miles  south  of  S^e 
lake  of  Valencia,  and  from  his  description,  I  was  led  o 
^^ppose  .t  a  facsimile  of  the  works  of  Circ leville,  n  Ohio 
On  my  return  from  Caracas  I  visited  the  pren  i  es  afd 
discovered  that  while  it  retained  the  outline'f  Sev  le 

;iat  Aa!  BB.^      ^^"''""^^  ""  ''''''''  di  W  Tsee 

in;s:;iti:T;:^^^t:i:tr"^ 

\.^  „       71    1'    ,        » '"""eu  or  luincated  mounds  connectprl 
except  at  tl,e  pomt  of  entrance.    The  truncated  works  had  , 

at:tl;':;VM''^'"''^*" "  p-p-o-'iar  ^^^ 

teelTl  n^  /'      ™  ™'™""<'<=<1  by  a  ditch  about  tweire 

lellSra^ttnhrc- r "■■'" '"  '-'''"  ''-^  ^""  "'  '«-' 

About  forty  poles  distant  from  the  ditch  there  ia  o  »•      1 

oJ^urttici^t'dtLr^f  :::;:•  "-^-^  -  -'"'-^^ 

About  one  mile  southeast  of  this  circular  wort  .1       • 
"■ork  similar  in  construction,  but  diffe  bj"  T  '  "  " 

sonted  in  cut  A  4      Ti  •  >      """"'"S  '"  'omi,  aa  repre- 

about  M  ree  act,  „J  I'^'m'  """"''^""^  "  "i""'"  "'■-  »f 
"'■«!),  fcet  ba  e  'a^d  ,  ""  '!,'"'"-^  «  'I™™  earthwork 
<i.e  <<.n„,i  l",i '"""'''''■'',:•  '"='•"«  ^■■^""tl.  and  flat  on 
<"ur  f..„.  H,  b  '  f„„'^; ''."""  "'•"■ .»  '-"'yfoot  base, 
out     The  ,v.,l  ?      '  *"  "f  "  '"'"''  "i'l'in  or  with- 

The  «all  ,s  surrounded  by  truncated  works  of  twenty 


Ifk- 


It 


l\ 


'  I 


36 


ANTIQITARIAK   EESEARCHES. 


foet  base,  and  four  in  height,  distant  from  base  to  base,  abont 
twenty  feet;  these  are  also  flat  and  smooth  on  their  summit. 

In  travelling  many  hundred  miles  in  various  portions  of 
.the  country,  and  viewing  many  works,  we  discover  none 
similar  to  those  above  described,  nor  did  we  observe  any 
elongated  works  like  those  wliich  are  so  common  in  various 
parts  in  North  America ;  but  the  conical  or  truncated  works 
abound  in  many  parts  of  the  country. 

The  works  that  most  attracted  our  attention  we  found  on 
the  plains  of  Appura.  They  are  of  pyramidal  form  and  of  va- 
rious dimensions.  Some  of  them  present  a  smooth  and  even 
surface,  while  others,  of  large  dimensions,  are  formed  with 
stages  one  above  the  other  from  near  the  base  to  the  summit. 

Those  of  the  largest  order  generally  stand  aloof  from  other 
works  and  always  appear  on  extensive  undulating  plains  oc- 
cupying the  highest  points  in  the  vicinity  of  their  erection. 
(See  plate  BB.) 

On  the  plains  of  Appura  there  are  several  of  the  larger 
order  of  those  pyramidal  works,  some  of  which  are  several 
hundred  paces  in  base  circuit,  the  general  form  of  which  is 
given  in  plate  BB,  fig.  2.  Not  having  at  that  time  in  con- 
templation the  publication  of  a  work  on  the  subject,  we 
regret  that  we  failed  to  survey  with  critical  accuracy  any  of 
those  stupendous  works.  The  stages  are  in  general  arranged 
from  eight  to  twelve  feet  above  each  other,  presenting  a  level 
base  of  from  five  to  seven  feet. 

When  we  take  into  consideration  the  simplicity  of  imple- 
ments used  in  antiquarian  warfare  we  are  ready  to  conclude 
that  this  mammoth  mound  was  once  the  Gibraltar  of  the 
plains,  and  nothing  of  warlike  character  could  exceed  the 
grandeur  of  a  battle  maintained  from  the  base  to  the  summit 
of  this  herculean  pjTamid.  Always  located  on  an  undulating 
rise,  commanding  the  highest  natural  summit  in  its  vicinity, 
it  is  so  admirably  adapted  to  the  defence  of  its  occupants, 
that  it  can  scarcely  be  imagined  to  have  been  erected  for  any 
other  purpose. 

The  visiter,  seated  on  the  summit  of  one  of  these  pyramids, 
looking  over  a  vast  and  luxuriant  plain,  can  not  failto  see,  in 


Cpt  BB. 


SOUTH  AMERICAN  EAKTH-WOKK. 


Cut  A  A. 


city  of  imple- 
Y  to  conclude 
raltar  of  the 
I  exceed  the 
0  the  summit 
,11  undulating 
n  its  vicinity, 
ts  occupants, 
ected  for  any 


90UTU  AMERICAN  MOUNDS. 


SOUTH    AMIOKICAN   TUMULI.  fig 

imagination,  tl.e  scenes  which  huve  taken  place  around  his 

n.eib;;:;  "T"'""-  ^^'^^--^^"^thedisln 

u    I.  the  habitations  of  a  great  people  ;  the  fields  tee.n  with 

The  pleasant  scenes  of  domestic  life,  the  watchinrr  p■^tn 
a  0  ,   the  proud  matron,  the  youthful  lover,  the  ^^uZ^^^ 
chddren   all  a.e  before  hi n,.     Anon  the  seno  thai    td 

scape,  and  al    its  waves  centring  at  his  feet.     On  the  lowest 
deadl    ,  f    ,„  t,.,  3,,^,„^  ^^,.^.,^^^  ,^  ^j^^^  J  a 

backed  with  stones  and  missiles  from  above,  while  the  fleble 

Ti  b  ttiewr"'  ^'''.''^'n"  ''"-'''^^'^^  view  til:!:  b^ 

it        r  '"'"'"•'•     ^"*  ^''^  fl^«^  «i"  l>attIo  slowly 

s  from  terrace  to  terrace,  till  the  last  blow  is  struck  The 

ast  arrow  leaves  the  bow,  and  the  remorseless  wave   of  war 

weep  a  nation  from  the  face  of  the  earth.     The  bre.ofihe 

NoTE—See  Frontispiece  for  a  view  of  nlAfo  Tin  « 
Tl.is  plate  represents  he  authn,'/  •        .         '  ^^"""^  ^'  ""^  *  ''"•^"  «««^«^ 

tl.e  Ol.io.     Con8idenn/M.rr'  7  ^  ^  ^"°^"  ""'"''^  "^  *»>«  ">«>"">  of 

their  peculiar    abi    Id  LroTr  1  T"  "'"'  "  ""  ""'  *"*  -ound-bni.der, 

plate  u  be  coti:;:  :^^::z ::  ^^''^"'^ '-  ^"''^^  ^-^^^  ^^^^ 

fortresses.     The  author's  conceptTonwas  full"      fi       T.  T  '''  *'"^*'  ""■'"^^^ 

peatedly  informed  hin,  that  s^ct "as    h   "LZ^^^ 

raced  .nound,  as  handed  down  bylis  fle^    '  "  '"*  '^^  *'""''  *^" 


I  r  I  p..    < 
1 


40 


ANTIQUARIAN   EKSEABCHES. 


IH 


i    ■  !i 

Ih 

1              r 

!                '! 

)  1 

ij 

!j 

CHAPTER  ly. 

FIRST   TOUR   OF  THE   UPPER  MISSISSIPPI. 

TTAVING  observed  many  singular  works  and  strange  ar- 
Ai  rangeinents  of  tumuli  in  South  America,  in  which  I 
became  much  interested,  but  without  coming  to  any  satisftic- 
tory  conclusion  respecting  their  use  or  origin,  after  my  retuin 
to  the  United  States,  I  devoted  much  time  and  attention  to 
this  subject.  In  the  spring  of  1829,  I  located  myself  in 
the  Miami  valley,  in  the  state  of  Ohio.  This  region,  abound- 
ing in  tumuli,  presents  a  field  of  investigation  worthy  the  at- 
tention of  the  antiquarian  and  archa'Mlogist.  The  diversity 
of  form,  complication  of  arrangement,  and  amount  of  labor 
bestowed  in  the  construction  of  these  works,  can  not  fail  to 
arrest  the  attention  even  of  the  casual  observer;  but  my  do- 
mestic relations  and  limited  pecuniary  resources  forbade  the 
prosecution  of  extensive  researches  for  several  years.  I 
did  not,  however,  become  indifferent  to  the  subject,  but  con- 
tinued to  improve  every  opportunity  for  investigation  that 
time  and  circumstances  presented,  occasionally  visiting  the 
valleys  of  the  Muskingum,  Scioto,  and  Miamis,  and  carefully 
noting  all  peculiarities  which  I  observed  in  form,  arrange- 
ment, material,  and  mode  of  deposite,  in  various  works. 

Being  permanently  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Ancient 
(one  of  the  most  stupendous  and  wondeiful  works  of  the  Ohio 
valley,  and  which  is  described  in  another  portion  of  this  vol- 
ume), my  thirst  for  investigation  was  continualy  augmented 
by  frequent  conversations  with  antiquarian  and  curious 
travellers  who  visited  the  premises,  as  well  as  by  the  ravages 
which  the  progress  of  civilization  and  agricultural  improve- 
ments were  from  time  to  time  making,  upon  what  I  was  ac- 
customed to  regard  as  the  sacred  tombs  of  the  ancient  fathers 
of  the  aborigines. 


FIRST   TOUR   OP   THE  TJrPER   MISSISSIPPI. 


41 


The  truncated  works  were,  by  common  consent,  recognised 
as  cemeteries  or  Indian  graves ;  and  tlie  enclosed  areas,  as  for- 
tificaticois  or  military  ramparts.  This  being  the  generally-ac- 
cepted  and  popular  view  of  the  subject,  researches  for  the 
most  part  were  conducted  with  the  sole  view  of  procuring  evi- 
dence in  confirmation  of  that  belief,  while  the  diversity  of 
form,  relative  position,  md  complex  arrangement,  either 
wholly  escaped  the  notice  of  antiquarian  observers,  or  were 
regarded  as  matters  of  comparatively  little  interest  or  import- 
ance. 

In  1837, 1838,  and  1839,  business  pursuits  led  me  to  the  im- 
mediate  valley  of  the  upper  Mississippi.   There  I  soon  observed 
that  the  mound-builders,  in  the  construction  of  their  works, 
had  indulged  in  innumerable  freaks  of  fancy,  wholly  unlike' 
anything  I   had  hitherto  seen   in  the  religious  or  military 
structures  erected  by  ancient  or  modern  nations.    Perceiving 
that  those  mounds  which  were  most  remote  from  civilization 
retained  their  primitive  form  in  greatest  perfection,  I  re- 
solved to  make  a  tour  of  exploration  in  the  unfrequented 
wilds  of  the  west ;  and,  In  the  spring  of  1840, 1  repaired  to 
the  city  of  St.  Louis,  whence  I  embarked  on  the  steamer 
Illinois  for  Galena,  in  the  early  part  of  April. 

As  soon  as  the  sun  had  dispersed  the  dense  mists  of  the 
river  valley,  I  seated  myself  on  the  hurricane  deck,  the  bet- 
ter to  observe  the  scenery  on  either  side.  As  our  boat  moved 
rapidly  on,  I  perceived  that  the  extensive  plain  known  as  the 
American  Bottom  was  gradually  narrowing  down,  and  the 
rugged  hills  beyond  were  closing  in  toward  the  river  bank' 
Soon  we  passed  the  mouth  of  'he  Missouri,  whose  tuibid 
waters,  freighted  with  sand  and  mud,  hastened  to  minHe 
their  dark  streams  with  those  which  flowed  from  the  crys^tal 
fountains  of  the  more  northern  hills. 

In  regular  lines,  on  either  side,  were  seen  the  traces  of  the 
waters  that  in  ancient  time  had  washed  the  rugged  bosoms 
ot  the  valley,  making  clearly  evident  the  fact  that  the 
proud  waters  that  now  roll  in  the  gulf  below,  once  gently 
flowed  through  a  vast,  broad  plain,  hundreds  of  hei  above 
their  present  level. 


4S 


ANTIQUARIAN   RKSEAECHKt 


It  1*8  woitliy  oi'  remark,  that  wherever  a  solid  rock- surface 
13  to  be  seen  extending  from  the  water  to  the  highest  summit, 
the  lines  run  precisely  parallel  with  each  other;  and  the  same 
number  of  lines  are  invariably  found  in  tiie  same  given  alti- 
tude at  all  points  on  the  river,  from  St.  Peter's  down  to  the 
upper  rapids,  a  distance  of  several  hundred  miles. 

After  passing  the  mouths  of  many  small  tributaries,  we  ar- 
rived at  the  termination  of  the  lower  rapids,  where  we  were 
under  the  necessity  of  unloading  our  cargo,  to  be  transported 
in  tow-boats  to  the  head  of  the  same.  There  being  but  two 
feet  water  in  the  channel,  and  the  current  strong,  it  was  with 
some  difficulty  that  we  succeeded  in  getting  over  with  our 
empty  boat,  but  we  did  so  in  safety;  again  taking  in  our 
cargo,  proceeded.  Meeting  a  rise  in  the  river,  we  passed  the 
upper  rapids  without  difficulty,  and  soon  drew  near  the  min- 
eral regions.  , 

Here,  Nature  apparently  fond  of  variety,  seems  to  exhibit 
a  change  of  features,  fur  here  the  towering  rocks,  with  varie- 
gated colors,  present  a  less  regular  arrangement,  with  liere 
and  there  a  huge  mass,  or  mountain  pile  of  shapeless  frag- 
ments, that  seem  to  have  been  thrown  together  with  a  care- 
less hand,  or  hurled  from  their  deep  beds  by  some  volcanic 
eruption. 

Do  not  the  ravages  of  water  on  the  face  of  these  rocks  bear 
testimony  to  the  existence  of  matter,  in  form,  thousands  of 
years  before  all  human  record?  And  may  not  the  volcanoes 
and  earthquakes  tbit  are  now  rending  the  Eastern  hemis- 
phere once  have  done  their  work  in  the  West?  If  so,  may 
they  not  again  return?  Who  knows  but  this  once-beau- 
tiful plain  was  inhabited  by  civilized  and  intelligent  beings 
that  have  gradually  passed  away  by  the  ravages  of  war,  or 
convulsions  of  nature? 

This  world  is,  indeed,  a  wonderful  machine,  and  its  primi- 
tive construction  incomprehensible !  Man  may  form  his 
globes,  and  fix  their  spheres,  but  the  reins  of  eternal  motion 
are  held  alone  by  Deity.  Man  may  look  back  as  far  as  tra- 
dition or  history  reach,  and  a  fertile  imagination  may  give 
ideal  form  to  chaos,  but  ihe  original  production  o: 


latter 


FIRST   TOUR   OP   THE   UPPER   MISSISSIPPI. 


43 


bids  defiance  to  all  his  researches  ;  himself  formed  of  matter 
he  may  only  reason  on  formed  matter  with  certainty  he  may 
soar  aloft  on  the  wings  of  imagination,  or  sink  in  fancy  to  the 
depths  below;  yet  beyond  the  natural  or  artificial  vision 
there  must  still  remain  for  him  one  great  eternal  void  which 
Cjou  alone  may  fill. 

While  thus  musing  in  my  hammock,  my  attention  was  sud- 
denly arrested  by  a  call  from  the  pilot  to  lower  the  steam, 
and  I  immediately  repaired  to  the  hurricane-deck,  and  saw 
that  we  were  closely  hedged  in  by  the  banks  of  a  natural 
canal  formed  by  the  back-water  of  the  Mississippi,  tracing 
the  channel  of  a  small  stream  called  the  Fever  river,  narrow! 
deep,  and  crooked.  ' 

After  advancing  about  seven  miles,  we  came  in  sight  of  the 
ftvi-fumed  httle  city  of  Galena.  Here  the  scene  changed,  and 
..stead  of  the  noise  of  the  escaping  steam,  my  ear  was  saluted 
with  the  more  agreeable  din  and  sounds  of  the  bustle  of  busi- 
iiess.  I  soon  found  myself  in  the  midst  of  a  flourishing  in- 
land city,  situated  on  the  banks  of  a  stream  that,  one  mile 
above  would  scarcely  float  a  canoe.  It  was  built  in  semicir- 
cular form,  closely  hedged  in  with  rugged  blufl-s,  whose  sides 
were  here  and  there  literally  excavated  to  make  room  for 
stately  mansions.  Three  semicircular  streets,  gradually  rising 
one  above  the  other,  formed  the  thoroughfares  of  comme,.e 

1  might  have  been  almost  persuaded  that  I  was  in  the  midst 
of  Jerusalem  on  a  pentacostal  day,  for  here. were  Jews  out  of 
almost  every  nation  under  heaven,  together  with  natives  of 
England,  Ireland,  France,  Spain,  and  Germany- a  truly 
mo  ey  mass  of  various  creeds  and  tongues,  yet  all  bound  to 

fndl    iT'T'"  ^r""'"'^'  "^terest,and  by  commercial 
and  socuil  ties    Agricultural  pursuits  were  partially  neglected 
nevertheless,  the  city  is  surrounded  by  a  fertile  so'il  tha   w  1? 
in  coming  time,  yield  a  surplus.  ' 

seJurJ?  *'^'"  '  "T  '^  '^'''  ^"^^"'  '^'y  ^"^  ^^  -'c-ity,  I 

hot  tol  ^TT.  "  ^'"■'  ""  ^*^^"^^-  ^"-^  ^-"d  for  the 
Bhot-tower  at  Helena,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Wisconsin 
i-iver  (which  cnffirs  tho  Mi-sifiqlnn;  =-,      f    b  ■'^'consin 

the  inn^f;^      e  T.V     ^viiesissippi  seventy-five  miles  above 

the  junction  of  lever  river).    la  passing  up  the  Mississippi, 


44 


ANTIQUARIAN   BESEARCIIE8. 


til 


I!' 


m 


we  touched  at  Dubuque,  a  flourisliing  village  on  the  western 
shore,  in  the  territory  (now  the  state)  of  Iowa.  This  village 
is  situated  on  a  beautiful  plain  of  some  thousand  acres  offer- 
tile  soil,  and  bids  fair  to  become  the  centre  of  commerce  |br 
an  extensive  and  fertile  region  at  the  west.  There  is  proba- 
bly more  taste  displayed  in  the  arrangement  of  its  mansions, 
shrubbery,  and  other  ornamental  appendages,  than  can  at  this 
time  be  seen  in  any  village  on  the  upper  Mississippi.  The 
large  piles  of  lead  stacked  up  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  bear 
ample  testimony  to  the  fact  that  it  is  surrounded  by  deep  and 
rich  mineral-beds. 

On  leaving  Dubuque  the  current  gradually  gains  strength, 
the  river  being  partially  filled  with  many  timbered  islands 
that  are  annually  inundated  by  the  northern  floods.  These 
floods  usually  occur  in  June  or  July,  being  created  by  the 
spring  rains,  and  the  melting  snow  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
or  northern  regions.  In  consequence  of  tliese  annual  inunda- 
tions, logs  and  snags  abound  in  the  river,  frequently  chang- 
ing the  channel  by  gathering  around  them  large  sand-bars. 
The  bluffs  continue  rugged,  and  gradually  rise  as  we  advance. 

We  at  length  entered  the  Wisconsin  whose  crystal  current 
flows  briskly  down,  over  moving  beds  of  brilliant  sand,  with 
a  continually  changing  channel  that  renders  the  navigation 
somewhat  difficult.  We  soon,  however,  arrived  at  Muscoda, 
the  ancient  location  of  a  large  Indian  village,  but  at  present 
occupied  by  a  few  white  families.  Th's  village  is  situated  on 
an  extensive  plain  of  sandy  soil,  on  the  surftice  of  which  may 
be  seen  relics  of  many  an  ancient  mound,  varying  much  in 
size  and  form ;  some  resembling  redoubts,  or  fortifications, 
others  presenting  the  forms  of  gigantic  men,  beasts,  birds,  and 
reptiles,  among  which  may  be  found  the  eagle,  the  otter,  the 
serpent,  the  alligator,  and  others  pertaining  to  the  deer,  elk, 
and  bnffido  species.  The  highland  in  the  vicinity  of  this  vil- 
lage abounds  with  monuments  that  bear  testimony  to  the  an- 
cient existence  of  an  immense  population  in  those  regions. 

I  remained  some  days  in  the  examination  of  those  remains, 
and  then  returned  on  the  Otter  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  an  old 
French  village  situated  about  four  miles  above  the  junction 


FIRST  TOUR   OF  THE   UPPER   MISSISSIPPI, 


45 


of  the  TVisconsin,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
in  the  territory  of  Wisconsin.     It  is  located  on  a  handsonio 
phiin  containing  several  thonsand  acres;  the  bnildings  bear 
a  somewhat  dilapidated  appearance,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  modern  structures.    The  back  country  is  rough  and  bro- 
ken, abounding  in  tumuli  of  various  kinds  and  shapes.     The 
American  Fur  Company  have  a  trading  post  at  this  place, 
and  the  United  States  keep  up  a  garrison  for  the  protection 
of  the  f-ontier  settlements.    The  majority  of  the  village  popu- 
lation were  French  and  half-bred  Indians;  they  were  social 
and  friendly,  and  I  resolved  to  tarry  a  while  with  them  for 
the  purpose  of  making  myself  better  acquainted  with  the  In- 
dian huiguage.    There  were  many  Indians  encamped  on  the 
islands  in  the  vicinity,  and  I  visited  them  frequently,  and 
attended  several  of  their  feasts  ;  they  were  fond  of  mirth  and 
music,  and  indulged  much  in  feasting,  dancing,  &c. 

After  becoming  acquainted  with  many  of  them,  I  resolved 
to  penetrate  the  country  to  the  west ;  and  having  provided 
myself  with  a  rifle,  tomahawk,  and  blanket,  I  crossed  the 
Mississippi  nine  miles  below  the  Indian  boundary-line.  After 
advancing  about  seven  miles,  my  vision  was  greeted  with  a 
prospect  transportingly  beiutiful,  in  the  view  of  a  country 
richly  interspersed  with  verdant  lawns  and  shady  groves  with 
cooling  springs  and  crystal  rills,  rising  and  flowing  through 
the  most  luxuriant  plains  of  rich  prairie,  and  which  seemed 
to  be  calling  and  entreating  the  industrious  cultivator  of  the 
loss  fertile  east  to  bestow  his  labors  where  they  would  meet  a, 
more  ample  reward. 


40 


AKTIQUAUIAM    KK8KARCIIB8. 


CHAPTER   V. 


1 1  ^n   I  .Hii  t 


i 

M 

1 

EARTHEN  DKP08ITK,   KXPLORATION,  AO. 

AFTER  traversing  that  l^eautit'ul  country  drained  by  tlie 
cliannel  of  Turkey  river,  I  returned  to  Prairie  du  Cl».v  ., 
and  during  the  suniiner  months  I  spent  much  time  in  the  ex- 
cavation and  exaniituition  of  numerous  mounds,  and  groups 
of  mounds,  in  the  vicinity.  I  discovered  many  recent  de- 
posites,  and  several  that  I  termed  primitive.  Among  the  latter 
was  an  earthen  urn,  that  contained  about  t  lirty  gallons  ;  this 
urn  was  deposited  in  a  large  mound  near  the  junction  of  the 
Wisconsin  with  the  Mississippi.  It  was  in  the  form  of  a 
large  jar,  with  a  cap  or  cover,  neatly  fitted  on  ;  it  was  full  of 
ashes,  mixed  with  small  ])article8  of  chaicoal  and  burnt 
bones.  This  vessel  appeared  to  have  been  well  burned,  and 
i-esembled  the  potter's  waroof  the  present  day,  of  good  qual- 
ity, except  that  it  appeared  to  have  been  formed  within  a 
bag,  or  sack,  made  of  coarse  materials  ;  the  impression  of  the 
threads  were  apparent  on  the  outside,  while  the  inside  re- 
mained perfectly  smooth.  It  had  become  very  tender  and 
much  decayed  by  time,  so  much  so,  that  I  was  unable  to  pre- 
serve it  whole.  I  however  retained  some  parts,  or  pieces, 
that,  after  being  thoroughly  dried  by  fire,  became  hard  and 
firm.     (See  Fig.  1,  Cut  W.) 

Being  under  an  engagement  to  meet  De-coo-Jah  at  St. 
Peter's,  or  Lake  Pepin,  as  might  best  suit  my  convenience, 
in  the  fall,  I  returned  to  Galena  where  I  built  me  a  sni',11  sail- 
boat; and,  after  4)roviding  myself  with  provisions,  ammuni- 
tion, and  a  few  Indian  trinkets,  I  launched  my  craft  and  set 
sail  for  St.  Peter's.  In  three  days  I  again  arrived  at  Prairie 
du  Chien.  I  tarried  there  a  few  days  endeavoring  to  obtain 
a  companion,  but  finding  no  one  that  was  willing  to  accom- 


KAUTIIKN    DEPOSITR,    EXPLORATION,   AO. 


4n 


paiiy  .ne  In  m.y  cont..tni.Iuted  tour.  I  again  set  sail  a,,,!  de- 
pivitod  alone.  Tlie  rivei-  being  crooked,  and  flio  wind  change, 
able,  I  progressed  slowly;  but  there  bei.ig  many  Indians  on 
the  river  fowling  and  fishing,  I  generally  had  one  or  two  on 
board,  during  ,ny  jmssage  through  the  Winnebago  nati<.n  I 
pr..ceeded  cheerfully  until  I  began  to  draw  near  the  Sioux 
lemtory,  a  nation  of  whom  T  knew  but  little,  and  of  whose 
language  I  was  entirely  ignorant. 

My  Hj.iritH  were  now  somewhat  depressed  ;  but,  bavlru^  dc- 
ttM-nune.l  to  make  the  four  at  all  hazards,  and  finding  many 
groups  of  singularly-formed  tum.di,  I  kept  on  my  way     After 
].enet,ratn,g  the  Sioux  country  some  thirty  miles,  I  was  nnicli  • 
rcj-'iced  at  finding,  near  the  river,  a  neat-looking  log-house 
ami  was  still  more  pleased  to  find  within  it  a  generous-hearted 
Iv^Mituck.an,  who  insisted   that  I  slnmld   partake  of  his  hosni- 
taiity  during  my  pleasure.    I  consented  to  remain  with  him  a 
few  days.     He  had   my  boat  secured,  and  conveyed  the  en- 
tents  to  his  house.    He  being  a  permanent  resident  (,f  the  for- 
est, I  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  him  intelligent,  and  a 
good  talker.     His  beds  and  furniture  were  not  exactlv  such 
as  those  we  generally  find    in  Kentucky- the  former  bein^ 
composed  of  well-dressed   buffalo-skins;  his  fable  of  a  slab  or 
puncheon,  dressed  from  a  large  cotton-wood  tree;  his  chain, 
made  of  the  same  material  (and  in  the  form  of  what  he  «aid 
Kentuckians  generally  called  stooh).     jris  table  was  well-fur- 

nished  with  Indian  butcher-knives;  forks  not  being  fashionable 
Hi  that  region,  he  had  dispensed  with  the  use  of  the.n  There 
was  plenty  of  fowl,  fish,  venison,  honey,  bread,  and  pork,  and 
lie  appeared  to  be  happy  and  contented. 

When  I  inquired  how  he  happened  to  locate  himself  in 
that  wild  region,  he  replied,  that  he  volunteered  as  a  soblier 
during  the  Black-IIawk  war,  but  that,  during  his  term  <.f  ser- 
vice he  became  convinced  that  the  Indians  were  an  ini.ned 
people,  and  were  treated  with  injustice,  and  he  therefore  de- 
tennined  to  become  acquainted  with  their  true  character 
During  my  term  of  service,"  said  he,  »  I  had  an  attack  of 
bdioiis  fever  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  where  I  became  acquainted 
With  a  young  Chippewa  squaw,  who  treated  me  with  so  much 


m 


■ 


P' 


48 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEARCHES. 


kindness  during  my  sickness,  that  I  grew  much  attached  to 
her.  After  the  war,  I  sought  and  found  her,  and  I  took  her 
to  be  my  wife,  thinking  that  I  would  live  with  her  a  while, 
and  then  return  to  my  friends  in  Kentucky.  We  commenced 
trapping,  at  which  she  was  very  expert,  and  we  were  very 
successful. 

"  I  soon  became  fond  of  trapping,  but  still  thought  that  when 
I  had  made  a  good  raise,  I  would  return  to  Kentucky.  After 
the  lapse  of  one  year,  my  wife  presented  me  with  a  daughter ; 
it  was  a  healthy  child,  and  I  soon  became  very  fond  of  it.  I 
however  did  not  yet  think  of  remaining  permanently  with 
her,  and  when  the  child  was  six  months  old,  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  go  back  to  my  friends  in  Kentucky. 

"  I  sold  my  fur  to  the  American  Fur  Company  for  four 
hundred  dollars,  and  furnished  my  wife  with  blankets  and 
such  trinkets  as  she  desired.  I  had  never  intimated  to  any 
one  my  intention  to  return.  I  took  my  rifle  and  put  it  in 
good  order,  about  the  first  of  June.  The  morning  that  I  had 
set  apart  for  my  departure  was  a  beautiful  one — the  sky  was 
clear  and  bright,  the  birds  in  unusual  numbers  appeared  to 
be  flocking  around  our  wigwam,  and  filled  the  air  with  their 
sweetest  notes ;  but  my  mind  was  full  of  gloom,  and  my  coun- 
tenance wore  a  shade  of  sadness.  My  wife  discovered  that  I 
was  not  so  cheerful  as  usual,  and  inquired  if  I  was  unwell ;  I 
forced  a  smile,  and  assured  her  that  I  was  quite  well.  When 
I  started,  the  baby  began  to  cry,  which  was  something  very 
unusual  for  it  to  do,  I  did  not  turn  back;  yet,  as  I  proceeded 
on  my  way,  I  fancied  that  I  heard  the  child  crying  continual- 
ly, and  before  the  evening  of  the  third  day,  I  became  so  much 
distressed  that  I  made  up  my  mind  to  return.  That  night  I 
slept  soundly,  and  in  the  morning  when  I  awoke,  I  found  my- 
self surrounded  by  the  same  birds  that  had  cung  the  song  of 
my  departure ;  now  they  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in 
sounds  of  melody.  I  returned  to  my  wigwam,  and  I  never 
thought  of  leaving  wife  or  child  again. 

''  Shortly  after  my  return,  I  removed  to  Prairie  du  Chien, 
built  a  house,  .and  commenced  keeping  a  tavern.  I  remained 
there  three  years,  and  succeeded  well  in  business  ;  but  I  did 


rie  du  Chien, 
>    I  remained 


EAKTHEN   DEPOSITE,    EXPLORATION,    &C.  40 

not  enjov  as  mnch  pleasure  as  I  liad  furmerly  enjoyed  in  the 
furcBt,  I  therefore  let  my  house  and  returned.  "  1  love  the 
forest,  and  intend  to  live  and  die  in  it." 

After  passing  ten  dajs  with  my  Kentucky  friend  (who  de- 
sired  that  I  should  not  use  his  name  in  my  diary  on  account 
ot  his  relatives,  whom  he  represented  as  men  of  hic^h-stand- 
ing  ,n  Kentucky),  I  launched  my  boat,  and  set  sail   for  St 
Peter's.    I  was  accompanied  by  the  son  of  my  host,  a  boy  of 
ten  years  of  age,  who  spoke  the  Sioux  and  English  lancrua-reg 
well ;  he  was  a  sprightly  youth,  and  of  much  service  "to  me 
as  an  interpreter.     On  our  arrival  at  St.  Peter's,  we  tarried 
several  days  to  examine  the  tumuli  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, but  found  none  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 

l^rere  being  a  ].arty  of  French  traders  about  to  ascend  the 
St.  1  eter's  river,  I  resolved  to  go  with  them  to  examine  a 
singular  group  spoken  of  by  De-coo  dah,  as  being  located  in 
those  regions.     The  traders  travelled  in  canoes  propelled  by 
poles  and  paddles.     Tlie  wind  being  fair,  we  hoisted  sail  and 
were  soon  out  of  sigh  t  of  them.    We  however  still  crowded  sail 
and  made  about  twenty-five  miles  that  day,  against  a  strono^ 
current.    lu  the  evening  we  landed,  struck  a  fire,  and  pret 
paied  our  supper,  after  which  the  boy  shouldered  his  rifle 
and  went  m  pursuit  of  some  deer  that  we  saw  feeding  near 
the  river  above ;  and,  in  about  an  hour,  lie  returned  with  the 
hams  and  skin  of  a  fjiwn. 

Our  company  not  coming  up  that  evening,  and  the  wind 
still  continuing  fair,  the  next  morning  we  ag^in  set  sail.    That 
day  the  current  not  being  so  strong  as  before,  we  made  about 
Ihirty-five  miles,  and  discovered  that  we  were  in  the  nei^h 
borhood  of  an  Indian  village.   We  came  to  anchor,  struck  fi^-e 
and  l..i.^od  on  our  fawn.     The  next  morning,  the  wind  noJ 
being  fair,,  my  boy  went  to  see  if  he  could  find  the  village  • 
and   about  three  hours  afterward,  he  returned  with  nearly  a 
hundred  Indians,  old  and  young;  they  were  friendly,  and  in- 
vited me  to  their  village,  the  chief  leaving  his  two  daughters 
totake  care  ot  rny  boat.    The  village  was  some  two  miles 
ir^.m    the    river,    and    was    composed    of   thirty    wigwams 
We  were  hospitably  entertained,  and  remained  thei;  over* 


50 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESE ARCHES. 


niglit 


In  the  morning  tlie  chief  and  some  others  retnrned 
with  mc  to  the  place  where  we  had  left  the  boat.  On  ap- 
proaching the  river,  we  discovered  that  the  boat  was  gone ; 
and,  on  our  arrival  at  the  spot,  we  perceived  that  the  French- 
men had  camped  there  over  night.  The  old  chief  appeared 
to  be  somewhat  alarmed,  and  immediately  raised  the  war- 
whoop  ;  and  in  a  short  time  twenty  young  warriors  were  on 
the  spot ;  but  while  he  was  giving  directions  to  them  relative 
to  the  course  they  should  pursue,  looking  down  the  river,  I 
saw  an  Indian  running  full  speed  toward  us.  The  chief 
looked  and  said  it  was  his  daughter;  he  then  paused  in  si- 
lence until  she  came  np  to  where  we  were,  and  told  us  that 
the  boat  was  down  the  river;  adding,  that  they  being  un- 
willing to  remain  with  the  Frenchmen,  had  attempted  to  cross 
the  river,  and  seeing  no  paddles  or  oars  on  board,  supposed 
the  boat  was  propelled  by  the  helm.  After  her  story  was  in- 
terpreted to  me,  all  burst  out  in  a  loud  laugh,  except  the  girl ; 
she  appeared  to  be  much  displeased  that  her  misfortune 
should  be  made  the  subject  of  merriment.  We,  however,  all 
went  down  to  the  boat,  and  found  the  other  girl  sitting  in  it; 
the  wind  now  blowing  fair  up  stream,  I  prevailed  on  the  girls 
to  remain  on  board,  and  then  unfurling  sail,  we  returned ; 
the  girls  now  in  turn,  commenced  laughing  at  those  on  shore, 
telling  them  that  tlwj  could  aflord  to  ride,  "but  you  are  poor 
and  compelled  to  walk." 

After  we  reached  the  landing,  the  old  chief  informed  me 
that  in  three  days  they  should  hokl  a  triumphal  war-dance, 
and  invited  me  to  attend.  I  consented  to  do  so.  He  then 
ordered  a  family  to  raise  a  M'igwam,  and  take  charge  of  my 
boat,  and  his  order  was  immediately  obeyed.  I  inquired 
through  my  interpreter  whether  there  were  any  mounds  in 
that  neighborhood.  He  told  me  there  were  some  up  the  river, 
not  far  distant,  and  that  there  were  many  of  them,  and  that 
next  day  he  would  show  them  to  me. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  old  chief  and  about  twenty 
others  accompanied  me  to  the  spot.  I  soon  discovered  the 
title  mound  of  the  Bliitk  Tortoise  (Cut  E),  and  commenced 
taking  its  dimensions,  aided  by  my  boy.    They  all  appeared 


i 


I 


EARTHEN  DEPOSITE,   EXPLOEATION,   &0.  51 

astonished  at  this,  looking  in  silence  at  each  other,  in  amaze- 
ment;   when  I  discovered  their  surprise,  I  drew  from  my 
pocket  a  plat  that  I  had  previously  drawn  from  the  descrip- 
tion I  had  received  from  De-coo-dah  of  this  group,  and  its 
correspondence  with  the  group  before  us  seemed  to  increase 
their  astonishment.    They  viewed  it  with  great  interest,  and 
one   of   the   chief's  daughters    exclaimed,   "  We-ru-cun-ne- 
gah     which  13  the  name  of  an  old  Indian  artist  of  whom  I 
shall  treat  hereafter.     When  I  rolled  up  my  draft,  the  old 
chief  inquired  if  I  had  been  there  before;  being  answered  in 
the  negative,  he  resumed,  »  Where  did  you  see  a  group  so 
much  like  the  one  before  us?" 

I  then  informed  him  how  I  had  obtained  it.  When  he 
heard  the  name  of  De-coo-dah,  his  eyes  brightened,  and  his 
countenance  flashed  with  joy.  I  told  him,  through  my  inter- 
pi-eter,  that  De-coo-dah  was  my  friend,  and  was  yet  living 
He  then  aided  me  cheerfully  in  taking  the  dimensions  of  the' 
entire  group ;  the  next  day  he  conducted  me  to  several  treaty 
mounds  (Cut  O),  and  one  large  battle-burial  mound.  ■  He 
seemed  to  look  upon  all  of  them  with  personal  indifference 
walking  over  and  upon  them,  as  though  he  regarded  not  thei^ 
use  or  contents. 

_  On  the  evening  of  the  third  day,  a  company  of  twenty  war- 
riors arrived  at  their  village.  They  had  lately  returned  from 
a  scout  among  the  Chippewas,  with  whom  they  were  at  waT 
Ihey  bore  a  trophy,  over  which  they  designed  that  night  to 
hold  a  war-dance ;  it  was  the  skin  of  the  entire  head  of  an 
apparently  old  Chippewa  squaw.  This  scene  appeared  to  be 
an  interesting  one  to  them,  many  Indians,  male  and  female 
tantastically  painted,  coming  in  at  intervals  all  day  from  the 
neighboring  bands.  ^  ^ 

The  skin  was  stuffed  with  moss  and  leaves,  and  was  per- 
fectly dry  In  the  evening  they  built  several  fires  in  a  c.-cle 
and  formed  a  ring,  m  the  centre  of  which  the  captor  stood, 
and  harangued  those  around,  with  a  loud  voice  and  vehemen 
gestures,  holding  in  one  hand  a  blood-stained  kni  e  and  „ 
the  other  thfl  trmili^       Af  *i,„   „i--.      /.  ,  .     ,  j  ""u  m 

„      ..1     /.        ^    ■■'  ^''^'"^  otluB  harangue  (which 

eons.tod  of  a  repetition  of  the  wrongs  or  ins.i  imposed 


52 


ANTIQUARIAN   KESEARCIIES. 


i ; 


h  rl 


il  IBliHI'tlINn  k 


upon  or  ofFcrcd  to  the  nation  by  the  enemy) ;  with  a  violent 
effort  he  dashed  the  tropliy  to  the  earth,  braiidisliing  liis  knife 
in  the  air,  and  goint?  tliroiigh  the  gestures  of  a  scnffle,  or 
fight ;  he  then  kicked  the  trojihy  to  the  ring,  wliere  it  was 
received  and  kicked  back  to  tlie  centre,  followed  by  an  Indi- 
an from  the  ring,  who  after  going  in  turn  through  the  gestures 
of  a  light,  kicked  it  back  to  the  ring  again,  where  it  was  again 
and  again  received  and  returned  until  all  had  kicked  it ;  in 
the  meantime  war-songs  and  dancing  were  going  on  around 
the  ring,  accompanied  with  the  most  vehement  gestures  by 
each  of  the  captors  who  in  turn  entered  the  ring.  When  all 
had  thus  insulted  the  trophy,  it  was  seized  by  the  original 
cajjtor,  and  thrown  about  from  one  to  the  other,  amidst  the 
most  horrible  shrieks,  and  finally  it  was  trampled  upon  until 
it  was  mashed  flat;  it  was  then  again  taken  by  the  captor 
who  introduced  a  small  leather  bag  of  powder  among  the  re- 
maining moss  and  leaves,  and  after  they  had  surrounded  a 
fire  by  joining  hands  in  a  circle,  he  threw  the  trophy  into  the 
fire;  they  continued  dancing  until  the  explosion  took  place, 
and  then  retired  in  confusion,  amidst  the  most  itidescribahle 
whoops,  shrieks,  and  yells.  In  the  morning  I  returned  to  my 
boat,  and  found  everything  safe. 

Having  found  the  funeral  mound  that  I  was  in  search  of,  I 
resolved  to  go  no  further  at  that  time.  The  wind,  however, 
blowing  up  stream,  I  remained  all  that  day  at  anchor.  In 
the  evening  was  presented  by  an  Indian  with  a  rich  treat  of 
honey  in  the  comb,  for  which  I  gav§  the  donor  a  few  trinkets. 
Tlie  next  morning,  the  wind  proving  fair,  we  descended  the 
river.  We  remained  one  day  at  St.  Peter's,  and  then  at- 
tempted to  ascend  the  Mississiiipi.  We  proceeded  to  the 
falls  of  St.  Anthony.  I  there  concluded  to  leave  my  boat  in 
charge  of  my  boy,  and  employed  three  Indians  with  a  canoe 
to  ascend  further,  for  the  purpose  of  discovering,  if  possible, 
the  burial  group  of  the  six  kings.  After  a  diligent  search 
of  six  days,  we  succeeded  in  finding  it.  (Letter  T,  Cut  32.) 
I  took  the  dimensions,  position,  exact  location,  &c.,  of  the 
group,  and  returned  to  mv  boat:  then  weiHiino'  anchnr,  we 
floated  slowly  down  the  stream,  frequently  stopping  to  ex- 


EAKTHE.Y  DEP08ITK,    EXPLORATION,   &C.  53 

amine  the  adjacent  countiy.  This  bears  in  general  a  roiigli 
and  broken  appearance,  and  does  not  appear  capable  of  sus- 
taining, by  agricultural  pursuits,  a  dense  population.  In  de- 
scending the  river,  between  the  falls  and  the  lake,  I  dis- 
covered many  mounds  on  both  sides;  these  were  principally 
treaty  and  battle-burial  mounds.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that 
at  or  about  the  junction  of  the  Mississippi  of  each  of  its  larger 
tributary  streams,  from  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  to  the  Ohio 
river,  there  appears  anciently  to  have  been  a  dense  popula- 
tion drawn  thither,  as  is  probable,  by  the  advantages  such 
points  present  for  fishing  and  hunting. 

K"ear  the  junction  of  the  river  St.  Croix,  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  Mississippi,  we  discovered  an  apparently  unfin- 
ished group  of  tumuli  representing  an  animal  with  horns  re- 
sembling those  of  an  ox,  with  nnfinished  foreleg,  as  seen  in 
Cut  L,  No.  20,  together  with  a  small   circular  embankment 
that  was  formed  by  throwing  the  earth  from  within ;  this  em- 
bankment measured  forty  feet  in  diameter,  and  was  elevated 
four  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  surrounding  earth  without; 
the  earth  within  being  scooped  out  to  the  depth  of  four  feet  in 
the  centre,  forming  a  bowl  or  basin  eight  feet  in  depth.     The 
third  was  a  long,  flat  embankment,  seen  at  Fig.  4,  Cut  Z,No 
41,  elevated  to  the  height  of  six  feet  at  the  east  end,'  and' pre- 
senting an  oval  surface  twelve  feet  west,  presenting  thus  far 
the  usual  finish  of  a  national  monumental  mound,  but  gi-adu- 
ally  descending  thence  to  the  west,  bearing  at  that  point  an 
elevation  of  two  feet.     The  unfinished  condition  of  this  group 
serves  to  explain  the  method  of  construction,  and,  perhaps 
enables  us  to  account  for  the  unusual  solidity  and  firmness  of 
the  earth,  which  always  characterizes  the  national  monument 
mound.     It  13  probable  that  after  the  embankment  had  been 
raised  to  the  height  of  several  feet,  the  operatives  carrvinc 
small  portions  of  earth,  ascended  at  one  end  of  the  mo\md 
and  walked  to  the  other  to  deposite  their  load,  thereby  pack- 
ing and  hardening  the  earth  under  their  feet,  during  the  en- 
tire process  of  construction. 

We  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  Mississippi,  from  the  lake  to 
fet.  i  eter  s,  was  anciently,  and  for  a  long  time,  the  boundary 


64 


ANTIQUARIAN  RESEARCHES. 


■I  ■  1 


M     '  \l 


line  between  two  warlike  nations,  from  the  fact  that  on  either 
side  of  the  river  may  be  seen  large  battle-burials.  "We  also 
incline  to  the  belief  that  the  nation  on  the  east  side  were  the 
'conquerors,  from  the  additional  fact,  that  the  greatest  number 
of  treaty-mounds  are  found  on  that  side  of  the  stream  ;  and 
from  the  frequent  appearance  of  unfinished  groups  we  are  led 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  extinction  of  a  nation  was  consum- 
mated in  this  region. 

At  the  lake  I  formed  an  acquaintance  with  several  half- 
breed  Indians,  who  accompanied  me  on  a  visit  to  some 
mounds  in  that  neighborhood,  which  had  been  previously  de- 
scribed to  me.  On  our  arrival  at  the  spot,  I  found  that  the 
description  had  been  accurately  given. 

I  passed  some  ten  days  in  the  examination  of  the  lake  shore 
and  its  vicinity.  I  found  several  unfinished  groups,  one  of 
which  nearly  resembled  the  one  which  I  have  already  de- 
scribed. It  contained  the  representation  of  an  animal  similar 
to  that  represented  in  Cut  L  (excepting  that  the  hind  leg  of 
the  latter  is  imperfect).  The  circular  embankment  was  twen- 
ty-five feet  in  diameter,  with  an  elevation  of  only  two  feet, 
formed  by  throwing  up  the  earth  from  within,  there  being  no 
apparent  removal  of  earth  from  without,  I  opened  this  cir- 
cular emljankment  in  three  places,  but  found  no  indications 
of  any  deposite.  I  then  sunk  a  hole  in  the  centre  to  the 
depth  of  five  feet.  Eigliteen  inches  below  the  surface,  I 
passed  through  a  stratum  of  ashes,  of  about  four  inches  in 
thickness,  mingled  with  small  particles  of  charcoal  and  porous 
earth.  Beneath  this  stratum,  I  found  nothing  but  the  native 
earth. 

On  a  high  pinnacle  overlooking  the  lake,  I  discovered  an 
unfinished  embankment  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-four  feet 
in  length,  the  east  end  being  thrown  up  six  feet  in  height, 
and  twelve  feet  in  breadth,  regularly  formed  for  seventy  feet, 
then  gradually  sloping  to  the  west,  to  the  height  of  three  feet 
and  breadth  of  seven  feet  at  its  western  termination,  with  an 
uneven  surface. 

I  also  discovered,  on  a  conspicuous  point  of  a  high  bluflT 
west  of  the  lake,  a  flat  embankment  one  hundred  and  thirty 


EARTHEN  DEPOSITE,   EXPLORATION,   &0.  55 

feet  square,  with  an  oval  mound  on  the  top,  Laving  an  eleva- 
tion  ot  fourteen  feet,  the  flat  embankment  being  two  feet  and 
a  half  high.  On  sinking  a  spade  in  the  small  mound,  I  dis- 
covered that  it  was  composed  of  ashes,  small  particles  of 
charcoal,  and  sand  similar  to  that  found  on  the  lake  bluff. 

Here  M-as  something  novel,  in  the  progi-ess  of  my  discov- 
eries,  and  I  resolved  to  probe  it  to  the  foundation,  in  the  an- 
ticipation  of  finding  some  precious  relic  of  antiquity.    Throw- 
ing oft  my  leather  coat  and  rolling  up  my  sleeves,  I  began  to 
throw  up  the  sand  and  ashes  with  more  than  Hibernian  ardor, 
and  very  much  to  the  amusement  of  my  Indian  friends,  who 
sat  gnnn.ng  around  me.     The  digging  was  easy,  and  I  made 
rapid  progress.     On  coming  to  a  level  with  the  flat  embank- 
ment, I  discovered  that  it  was  formed  of  clay  unlike  any  in 
the  vicinity,  around  the  small  mound  ;  and  yet,  i„  sinkint,  I 
discovered  no  change  in  the  centre.     I  became  yet  more  ex- 
cited  but  being  much  fatigued  with  my  labor,  I  retired  to 
the  shade  of  a  small  tree  which  grew  near  by  to  rest  myself- 
and,  while  sitting  there,  wondering  within  myself  what  the  an- 
ticipated relic  would  prove  to  be,  an  aged  Winnebago  squaw, 
whom  curiosity  had  drawn  to  the  spot,  ascended  the  mound  to 
view  the  excavation.   She  shook  her  blanket,  and  approached 
:ne ;  and,  perceiving  that  I  was  flvtigued,  she  presented  to  me 
a  bladder  filled  with  whiskey,  and  desired  me  to  drink      I 
drank  sparingly,  and  returned  to  my  labor.     She  followed  me 
to  the  pit,  and  looking  into  it,  she  thus  addressed  me-"  Ah 
how-she-mo-ko-mon,  wah-wonk;  cow-ean  shu-rah  ;  she-mo-ko! 
mon,  sketch-ah-waw-wonk;"  being  interpreted,  "IIo,  white 
man,  you  are  a  fool !    There  is  no  money  there.    White  man 
jou  are  a  very  great  fool !"  and  she  went  awav,  amid  peala 
of  laughter  fi-om  the  surrounding  group.     I,  ii^weveVcot 
t.nued  digging  until  I  struck  the  surface  of  the  surrounding 
ea  th,  bn    without  discovering  any  deposite,  or  any  change  of 
^e*.  l'^''\'Pf!''^'^'^'^   the  surface-soil  to  the  depth  of' two 
had  b!     ";  ?^  no  change  nor  indication  that  the  earth 

Hbors  Li    T'   ^"'''^^'  ^  ^^'^^^'^^^   "\y  unsatisfactory 
iaoois,  and  retiirnod  to  m^  bn-if     Ti,r,.     t.  -       - 

found  rnvnl-i  ...:..7„:       /  '    '\  ^''''^'  *^  "^3^  g'-eat  joy,  1 


found  my  old  friend  and  adopted 'father,  De- 


JO  J. 
coo-dah :  and  the 


56 


ANTIQUARIAN   RKSEARCUE9. 


fatignes  of  the  day  were  soon  forgotten,  in  recounting  to  liim 
my  adventures,  lie  manifested  some  displeasure  at  my  mode 
of  examination  of  the  mounds,  and  requested  me  not  again  to 
disturb  the  ashes  of  the  dead.  I  took  up  my  spade,  and  de- 
liberate!}'threw  it  into  the  hike;  and  he  tlien  iiiiniediately 
became  cheerful,  and  we  Buioked  together  the  pipe  of  friend- 
Bhij). 

lie  remained  with  me  for  a  few  days,  and  I  learned  that 
he  intended  to  visit  a  Chippewa  friend,  lie  asl<ed  where  I 
designed  to  spend  the  winter.  I  informed  him  that  I  pro- 
posed to  trade  with  tlie  Wknnebngoes,  and  should  locate  my- 
self near  the  junction  of  Hoot  river  with  the  Mississippi ;  and 
then  I  invited  him  to  pass  the  winter  with  mo.  lie  said  that 
he  could  be  of  little  service  to  me  in  trading.  I  told  him  that 
it  was  not  his  services,  but  his  company  that  I  desired.  lie 
gave  n)y  hand  a  cordial  squeeze,  and  said,  "I  will  come." 
He  then  went  away,  and  I  set  sail  for  the  residence  of  my 
Kentucky  friend,  and  two  days  afterward,  landed  at  his 
Louse. 

After  passing  a  few  days  with  liim,  I  again  set  sail  for 
Prairie  du  Chien,  at  which  place  I  laid  in  winter  stores,  em- 
ployed a  Frenchman  as  an  isistant,  and  returned  to  an 
island  a  little  below  Tioot  river.  Vie  procured  a  yoke  of  cat- 
tle to  aid  us  in  building  a  cabin;  and  when  our  cabin  was 
completed,  we  opened  trade  with  the  Indians. 


RETURN    OF   DE-CQO-DAII. 

In  three  days  after  we  had  opened  trade,  De-coo-dah  ar- 
rived. I  was  not  a  little  rejoiced  at  his  speedy  return  ;  for, 
notwithstanding,  he  had  already  communicated  to  me  many 
traditions,  I  had  since  discovered  many  groups,  respecting 
which  I  had  no  traditional  knowledire. 

De-coo-dah  now  informed  me  that  at  a  very  early  age  he 
received  the  title  of  Mocking-Bird  (in  the  language  of  his 
forefathers,  De-coo-dah),  in  consequence  of  being  able  to 
speak  fluently  five  languages  ;  and,  that  from  his  infancy,  he 
Lad  been  iu  the  Labit  of  migrating  from  nation  to  nation ; 


RETURN   OF   DE-COO-DAH. 


57 


iinting  to  him 
B  at  iuy  inodo 


that  he  cliiimed  no  lineal  kindred  with  any  nation  now  in  ex- 
istence,  but  was  a  descendant  from  the  Elk  nation,  now  ex- 
tinct; tliat  they  were  a  mixed  nation,  claiming  descent  from 
tliose  ancient  Americans,  the  mound-builders;  and  that  their 
traditions  were  sacredly  kept  by  their  i)roi)het8,  from  a  family 
of  whom  he  was  descended. 

De-coo-dab  was  of  low  stature,  nmisually  broad  across  the 
shoulders  and  breast,  his  complexion  somewhat  darker  than 
the  Winnebago,  with  a  large  mouth  and  short  chin  ;  his  lind)8 
were  well-proportioned,  and  he  ])ossessed  undaunted  courage. 
I  furnished  him  with  food  and  shelter  from  the  inclemeircy 
of  two  severe  winteis,  and  he,  in  return,   imparted  to  me 
many  traditions  not  held  or  known  by  Indians  of  the  present 
age.     He  remained  several  months  with  me  before  lie  spoke 
of  traditions,  using  many  stratagems  to  ascei'tain  whether  I 
was  trustworthy  or  not.      After   satistying  himself  on  that 
point,  he  introduced  the  subject  of  traditions,  by  asking  of 
me  whether  white  men  held  tradition  sacred.    I  told  him  that 
some  white  men  possessed  secrets  which  they  did  not  tell  to  all. 
^  He  then  informed  me  that  the  ancient  Americans  had  na- 
tional secrets  which  they  held  sacred,  and  that  these  were 
handed    down   from  generation   to  generation   throng':  the 
prophets,   who   were   thus   enabled,  through    their  superior 
knowledge,  to  do  many  wonderful  things.     He  said  that  it 
was  once  a  universal  custom  observed  by  all  the  nations,  to 
consume  the  bodies  of  the  dead  with  fire  ;  but  that,  at  a  cer- 
tain time,  in  ancient  days,  a  great  nation  from  whom  his 
fathers  descended,  assembled  to  celebrate  the  obsequies  of  a 
great  and  good  king,  and  while  they  were  engaged  in  burn- 
ing his  body,  the  sun  refused  to  shine,  although  there  was  not 
a  cloud  to  be   seen  ;    in   consequence  of  which   event   the 
prophets  passed  a  decree,  that  kings  should  thenceforth  be 
memoralized  without  fire.   And  then,  he  added,  "The  mound 
you  opened  at  the  lake  contained  the  ashes  of  thousands." 
He  said,  too,  that  it  was  a  custom  for  the  friends  or  relatives 
of  the  deceased,  after  the  burning  of  the  body,  to  give  a  feast; 
and  that  the  custom  of  feasting  at  the  death  of  a  relative  cou- 
tiiiued  long  after  that  of  burning  the  body  had  ceased. 


68 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEARCIIES. 


"inth  winter.    Jfy  grca     ™  if,  ,    °?','''''"''«''  '"^  "is'-'J- 
for  mounds;  nnd  s.tid    .Cm  !       " '""'  »  e'™t  revc-onc-o 

tl'e  place  «,,,,„  ntj  ,?'  ''^ ''=""'l  ""'i"™;  «"cl  tlmt  at 
o.:ected  a  nali:i'Lt:::  J  ;:~„  -^K  -»>;  -- 
dignity."  o't>'"ncant  ot  tiieir  uumber  and 

cl.a,acte,  in^eon^::  '  Lrtirr", """   """'^ 

Jected,   mitil   thpl..  \u  °^^  "^''^^^^^  were  neow 

'"Kl  .no  .,,      ™         ,t:;,™f   ,^7;™»   obsolete,      nav^ 

I  in.,nediate„  c'^^ntrt H  ,  r  t  rl  t"  ■"'  "J""^" 

=S:^.-::i^^;-,:dt'T~»"-^^^^ 

"«"k."on.s  in  „,;  It;,  ;•  f  «;r',r  "Vr'"=^'"s"'"-"- 

De-c„o.dal,,a„d  was  not  „  i    e    ^  „  r°,'  V,"'";'"""  '^f'™ 
lorn,  position,  location  &c    I  l!,T  '',"  '■-"^'U'"'""  of 

I'im  at  vaiions  times      He  Jl  ?  ,  '  "'""''  ^  ^''o™l  to 

l"«to,-y  of  each  gronp  on  It;;;';  ^'  »"™  "'"  "'O  t,-adition„l 
d'-aft  of  eacl,  sifnila  g,;,^  "  '  .,  ^I^'  "^  '"kon  b„t  one 
"Lateaso  l,e  could  disi'„  is  ,  ,1  ^' "■""'"""  ^'^'^  "■'* 
and  account  for  their  p  c'u  K  i^  Is  f  f'  ""',"'"  ""'"foment,, 
lal  design.  PO'-uHamiesof  (oim,  location,  and  gene- 


fi  of  an  nn- 
■  litbtiine  ; 
'ul  fifteen 
yen  years 
ny  eighty, 
reveronco 
ii'ected  at 
Vequently 
itl  that  at 
'h  nation 
wher  and 

t  lield  in 
tiiat  loiio- 
lad  been 
hloody 
3  re  ne£>. 
Ilavins: 
le  alone. 
5  of  our 
tarsal  of 
the  in- 

of  the 
lar  em- 

hefore 
)fion  of 
',  taken 
wed  to 
itional 
nt  one 
e  with 
nents, 
gene- 


jVT  O. 


Sca/r,  80  feet  to  the  inch 


TBEATV  MEMOKIAL. 


Cut  X. 


UKFlAlsnED  \VOi{KS-/ZZ. 


1 

i^^H 

^■'  ,t  <'| 

^^^Htf         \  ,j|gj 

L    t  '  SI  [ 

'!    'ill 

^^^■h  , 

1 

]t 


ni 

01 
01 

ni 


ta 
th 


of 
roi 
]ar 
eai 
an 
tio 
wi( 
be( 
fac 
pre 


iiai 
me; 
per 

tOg( 


AMALGAMATION   MOUND. 


61 


CHAPTER  VI. 

AMALGAMATION   MOUND. 

rrmS  rommLablo  oartli-work  is  eitunted  on  tl.e  northern 

-I  .Ing  .  land  of  tl.o  Wisconsin  river,  about  miy  miles  abo.^ 

itsjiinchon  with  the  Mississippi.  ^    'WL8auo^o 

It  i8  traditionally  represented  to  have  been  constrncted  as  a 

V  Til  r^'i'l^'-  ---'>  to  con.n.o.norate  an    n^or    nt 

event  m  the  Instorjof  two  ancient  nations.    These  rations 

once  great  and  powerful,  had  become  greatly  retliiceri' 

nu.nbers  and  resources  by  the  adverse  fort^unes  of  M^r^„^^^^^^ 

ta  n"™  m".?'-    ''^'^^  "°  ^°"^^^>-  ^"  "  condition  toi;! 
tain  separately  he.r  national  existence,  they  resolved  to  unite 

And  ,^"^"' ^,f  J^^V'  ""  ^''''  '''''  or'^Soveregn  kI; 
And  th,s  earth-work  was  constructed  as  the  great  sea  and 

ItT  f  ;r  'T'  ''  '""*  ""'^"  ^-^  amalgama^  n 

of  it    lo^n  •  '"      V""'"''  '''''  '"■^'^^^*  l^-'^  -  «-  vicinity 
of  Its  location,  and  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  su. 

onndmg  country.     It  occupies  a  position  which  ha   a  sin." 
ar  natural  formation;  the  highlands,  whose  generaTcousfs 
east  and  west,  niake  at  this  point  a  sharp  anfle  tore  "1 
an  ,  after  running  about  three  fourths  of'a  mtle  in  tt  d tec: 
^on    gradually   curve   to  the    west,  preserving  a   ur^form 

been  mtfic.ally  constructed ;  presenting  a  slightly  oval  sur 
face  of  about  eight  poles  in  width  at  tlie  base,  and  havi" 
precipitous  declivities  on  either  side 

liaHnlrJn  •'^''r^''"^  '^'^  '''''''''  ^^'^'^  the  natural  pecu- 

memonal  wh.ch  occupies  it  is  far  more  interesting  and  im- 
portant,  presenting  in  outline  the  forms  of  two  gigantic  bea^ 
together  with  a  well-dolmpaf.^  l,,^„-,  .^      ^  ^       ^  ^®^^*^' 
The  figures  of  animals,  thrown  up  largo  and  full,  lie  in  an 


ig 


6? 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEARCHE8. 


■f\ 


I  I 


east  and  west  line,  measuring,  on  the  centre  of  the  summit, 
one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  length :  separated  in  the  centre 
by  a  conical  mound  of  twenty-two  feet  in  diameter  at  the 
base,  and  eight  in  perpendicular  altitude,  as  seen  in  the  ap- 
pended cut  of  the  amalgamation  mound.  The  front  portion 
of  this  work  has  a  base  of  nine  feet,  with  a  general  elevation 
of  three  feet.  The  hinder  part  has  a  base  diameter  of 
eighteen  and  a  perpendicular  altitude  of  six  feet,  presenting  a 
smooth  and  oval  surface ;  a  projection  from  this  part  of  the 
work  running  eastward,  eight  feet  in  length,  may  be  easily 
supposed  to  represent  a  tail,  and  another  projection  running 
to  the  south,  eighteen  feet,  forms  a  leg.  To  this  leg  is  at- 
tached a  singularly-formed  earth-work,  eighty  feet  in  length, 
and  eighteen  in  its  greatest  breadth,  gradually  becoming  nar- 
rower and  lower,  from  an  altitude  of  six  feet,  until  it  termin- 
ates at  a  point  in  connection  with  the  imaginary  foot  of  the 
beast.  We  may  here  remark  that  this  singular  species  of 
earth-work  is  frequently  met  with,  in  connection  Avith  other 
works  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Wisconsin,  but  is  never  found 
isolated  or  entirely  alone ;  and  is,  generally,  of  smaller  di- 
mensions than  this. 

On  either  side  of  the  union  moimd,  or  central  work,  there  is 
a  truncated  mound  of  eighteen  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base, 
and  six  feet  in  perpendicular  altitude.  These  mounds  have 
flat  summits,  and  bear  the  marks  of  fire,  in  the  presence  of 
bits  of  charcoal,  mingled  with  earth  and  ashes,  to  the  depth 
of  about  fourteen  inches.  ' 

From  the  breast  of  the  animal  effigy,  another  elevated  pro- 
jection runs  south,  twenty-two  feet,  terminating  in  a  small 
conical  mound  twelve  feet  in  diameter  at  its  base. 

Immediately  west  of  this  projection,  there  is  a  sudden  con- 
traction which  gives  form  to  the  neck  of  the  figure,  and  con- 
nects with  a  flat,  oval  swell,  somewhat  resembling  the  form 
of  an  egg^  from  which  proceeds  a  representation  of  horns, 
with  branching  antlers,  as  shown  in  the  diagram.  The  main 
Btem  of  the  front  horn  is  eighteen  feet,  while  the  other,  which 
inclines  backward,  is  only  twelve;  the  longest  antlers  are  six 
feet,  and  the  shortest  three  feet  in  length. 


AMALGAMATION  MOUND.  QQ 

In  connection  with  this  imaginary  head,  U  an  earth-work 
running  south,  Oi.e  hundred  and  sixty  feet,  and  about  three 
feet  in  height,  which  we  recognise  as  a  human  efBgy,  with  a 
base  diameter  of  ten  feet  across  the  breast,  and  eight  across 
the  Joins;  with  one  arm  somewhat  elevated,  and  tlie  other  in 
a  declined  position.    This  work,  at  its  southern  extremity,  is 
attached  to  another  which  runs  parallel  with  the  main  iwrk 
on  an  east  and  west  line,  eighty  feet  in  length,  and  twenty- 
Beven  in  base  breadth,  having  an  altitude  of  six  feet ;  and  farther 
east,  in  a  line  with  this  last-mentioned  work,  are  seven  conical 
mounds,  the  central  of  which  is  the  largest,  having  a  base  di- 
ameter of  twenty-seven  feet,  and  a  perpendicular  altitude  of 
SIX.    The  mounds  on  either  side  of  this  central  one  diminish 
graduall;  in  size,  to  the  east  and  west,  contracting  the  base- 
diameter  about  three  feet,  and  diminishiufr  in  height  one  foot 
at  each  remove  from  the  centre,  terminating  at  each  end  in  a 
mound  of  eighteen  feet  base,  and  three  high. 

Having  thus  given  a  brief  description  of  the  superficial 
form  and  dimensions  of  this  remarkable  relic  of  the  ancient 
world,  we  now  proceed  to  give  its  traditional,  hieroglyphical 
import,  as  received  from  De  coo-dah,  an  aged  son  of  the  for- 
est, who  (as  I  have  before  stated),  represented  himself  as  a 
descendant  from,  and  one  of  the  last  remaining  relics  of  the 
ancient  Elk  nation,  now  extinct.    He  represented  that  nation 
as  one  of  very  ancient  origin,  and  as  descended  from  a  trih« 
of  the  mound-builders  which  had   long  before  been  swept 
away  by  the  tide  of  war.    He  often  interested  me  in  his  re- 
hearsal  of  the  traditionary  history  of  their  wars  and  struggles 
nnd  the  causes  which  led  to  their  final  dispersion,  ending  in 
their  total  extinction  as  a  nation,  at  the  fall  of  their  last  king 
01-  absolute  sovereign,  traditionally  known  under  the  name  of 
De-co-ta,  the  Great. 

Before  giving  me  in  detail,  the  traditional  explanation  of 
the  import  of  this  remarkable  earth-work  (from  a  drawino-  of 
the  premises  I  had  previously  made),  he  told  me,  that  w1ien 
this  great  continent  was  inhabited  only  by  the  wild  man, 
game  was  abundant,  and  easily  taken ;  so  that  he  havin<^ 
much  leisure,  wrote  his  history  on  the  ground  ;  that  a  knowF- 


64 


ANTIQUARIAN   RKSEARCIIES. 


|l  t    i 


■ill 


! 


HI  !    J{ 


111       ! 


edge  of  that  liistory  was  preserved  by  tradition,  and  perpetu- 
ated by  the  gradual  erection  of  various  groups  of  hieroglyj^hi- 
cal  earth- works,  commemorative  of  natioiuil  events,  titles,  dig- 
nity, royal  marriages,  royal  births,  valorous  achievements, 
national  treaties,  &c. 

"Tliis  work,"  said  he,  "is  more  singular  and  complicated 
in  its  order  and  form  than  most  others  known  to  tradition, 
being  the  last  hieroglyphical  relic  of  international  sacrifice." 
But  few  locations  were  to  be  found  strictly  adapted  to  the 
construction  of  these  works,  a  law  having  been  universally 
recognised  by  the  mound-builders,  that  national  sacrifices 
should  only  be  oft'ered  on  the  highest  pinnacle  of  the  adjacent 
region  ;  while  another  law  imposed  on  all  that  assisted  to 
rear  the  mound  of  amalgamation,  an  obligation  to  observe,  in 
construction  of  the  hieroglyphical  figure,  an  east  and  west 
line,  the  position  occupied  serving  as  a  general  key  to  the  de- 
sign. 

The  hieroglyphical  figure,  when  thus  constructed  on  an 
east  and  west  line,  was  emblematical  of  the  rise  or  fall  of  na- 
tions, as  prefigured  in  the  rising  and  setting  sun. 

The  front  or  head  of  the  figure  pointing  to  the  west,  was 
recognised  as  a  monumental  seal  to  the  departed  power  and 
setting  sun  of  those  who  reared  the  monument ;  aiid  the  same 
figiu'e  rc»-ersed,  or  looking  toward  the  east,  would  have  typi- 
fied a  nation's  prosperous  estate  and  rising  sun. 

Tlie  hierog  ypliical  human  figure,  being  of  equal  length 
with  the  combined  animal  effigies,  records  their  united  or 
concentrated  power;  and,  facing  the  meridian  sun,  in  the  po- 
sition of  its  greatest  strength,  disclaims  the  acknowledgment 
of  any  superior  national  power  on  earth. 

Thus  the  ancient  mound-builder  could  read  the  national 
prosperity  and  dignity  of  his  ancestors,  in  the  position  ob- 
served in  the  construction  of  their  works;  while  the  body,  or 
parts  of  the  body,  not  only  record  their  name,  but  also  per- 
petuate the  knowledge  of  the  ancient  existence  of  nations 
long  extinct. 

TTorna  appended  to  effigies  represent  warriors.  One  horn 
being  longer  than  the  other,  shows  one  nation  tu  Lave  been 


AMALGAMATION  MOUND. 


65 


the  stronger  of  tl.e  two;  and  one  Lorn  having  more  prongs 
than  the  otlier,  rei)resent8  one  nation  as  having  more  celebrar 
ted  chiefs  tlian  the  other,  while  some  prongs,  being  longer 
than  the  others,  represent  some  of  the  greater  and  more  dis- 
tinguibhed  cliiefs.  The  front  horn  pertaining  to  the  front 
effigy,  in  this  arrangement,  bears  record  of  tlio  superior 
power  of  the  front  or  leading  nation  at  the  date  of  amalgama- 
tion. ° 

Tl.e  central  work,  in  which  the  two  bodies  unite,  records 
the  union  or  amalgamation  of  the  two  nations  ;  and,  not  only 
this,  but  at  the  time  I  visited  the  work,  it  bore  the  nnmis- 
takeable  record  of  more  than  four  centuries,  which  had  gone 
by  since  its  construction,  in  the  presence  of  a  stately  oak 
firmly  rooted  in  its  Ijosom.  (The  tree  has  since  been  removed 
and  converted  into  BJiingles;  and,  in  1844,  it  formed  a  canopy 
over  the  drunken  revels  of  Muscoda.)  This  oak  numbered 
four  hundred  and  twenty-four  concentric  lines  of  growth.  Its 
widespread  boughs  gave  a  worthy  shade  to  the  proud  memo- 
rial of  a  vanished  nation. 

The  truncated  works  on  either  side  of  «he  union  mound, 
were  sacrificial  altars,  on  whicli  national  sacrifice  was  annu- 
ally offered,  and  bore  record  of  the  union,  in  sacrificial  ser- 
vice ;  on  these  altars  were  offered  by  fire  the  heart  of  the  elk 
and  the  heart  of  the  buflralo,  the  symbols  of  the  two  nations 
designed  to  be  represented  in  this  work;  and  the  fires  were 
kept  burning  until  the  smoke  from  both  altars  united  in  one 
column  over  the  union  mound  and  ascended,  bearing  the  in- 
cense of  sacrifice  to  the  sun,  which  was  in  those  days  the 
prim.iry  object  of  sacrificial  adoration. 

Tha^  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  were  regarded  as  objects  of 
WG/ship  by  the  mound-builders,  is  evident  from  tiio  fact  that 
tumular  effigies,  representing  those  luminaries,  are  found  in 
relative  connection,  on  the  high  land  of  the  Kickapo,  in  Wis- 
consin, and  in  groups  and  isolated  positions  at  various  other 
points  where  mounds  abound  ;  but  the  strongest  corrobora- 
tive testimony  is  supplied  by  the  fact  that  to  the  depth  of 
fourteen  inches  beneath  the  alluvials  that  now  cover  those 
altars,  the   evident  impress  of  fire  is  seen  in   the  remains 

5 


66 


ANTIQUARIAN   BKSBARCHES. 


■1 


¥\ 


I  "'• 


ll 


>  <' 


;         \ 


of  burned  earth,  charcoal,  and  aslies ;  tliongh  on  the  most 
critical  examination,  in  a  long  series  of  excavations,  I 
could  discover  no  such  deposite  in  any  other  portion  of  the 
works. 

The  earth  of  which  those  sacrificial  altars  are  composed  dif- 
fera  in  texture  or  material  from  that  of  the  remaining  por- 
tion of  the  work,  which  k  formed  of  soil  similar  to  that  of 
the  adjacent  region ;  the  altars  are  formed  in  mingled  strata 
of  sand,  gravel,  and  yellow  clay,  with  the  exception  of  the 
upper  stratum,  which  in  the  altar  on  the  north  side,  is  formed 
of  a  tough  earth  resembling  pipe-clay,  of  a  light  color,  min- 
gled with  ashes  and  charcoal;  while  that  on  the  south  is  of  a 
blue  cast,  with  a  similar  mixture. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  a  more  minute  traditional  descrip- 
tion of  tlie  hieroglyphical  import  of  the  human  figure  seen  in, 
connection  with  the  great  efiigy.  This  figure  being  equal  in 
length  to  the  united  lengths  of  both  the  animals,  represents 
and  records  the  strength  of  both  nations  united  in  one  body; 
and  having  the  feet  attached  to  a  national  embankment  of 
even  length  with  the  body  to  which  it  is  directly  attached, 
records  the  union  of  nationality  as  centred  in  that  body,  and 
giving  name  to  their  future  nationality. 

The  left  arm,  pertaining  to  the  buffalo,  in  its  declension 
and  connection  with  the  foot  of  the  elk,  is  emblematical  of 
the  resignation  of  a  former  national  name  ;  and,  both  being 
attached  to  one  national  seal,  record  a  voluntary  and  willing 
union;  while  the  uplifted  right  arm,  pert£\ining  to  the  elk, 
records  his  reserved  sovereignty  and  right  to  rule. 

The  singular  earth-work,  traditionally  denominated  the 
tnoimd  of  extinction^  pointing  to  the  buffalo,  shows  the  ex- 
tinction of  his  nationality. 

The  seven  truncated  mounds  running  east  from  the  national 
mound,  are  traditionally  represented  to  be  matrimonial 
memorials^  recording  the  international  marriages  of  seven 
chiefs,  which  occurred  during  the  erection  of  the  work.  The 
central  matrimonial  memorial  being  the  largest,  and  its  loca- 
tion in  the  midst,  commemorates  the  international  marriage 
of  a  sovereign  or  chief  in  higher  authority  than  the  others; 


AMALGAMATION  MOUND. 


m 


and  tlio  three  smaller  ones,  on  either  j'de  of  the  large  me- 
morial, gradually  declining  in  size  as  they  recede  from  the 
centre,  record  the  international  marriages  of  three  grades  of 
chiefs  from  each  nation,  in  final  ratification  of  the  national 
union. 

The  Union  being  monumentally  confirmed,  and  matrimo- 
nially sealed,  the  Buffalo  became  for  evsr  one  with  the  Elk 
nation. 


68 


ANTiqUAUIAN   BESEARO'IKS. 


V'h 


#• 


ni 


CHAPTER  VII. 


NATIONAL   MONUMENTS. 


THE  singular  eartliwork  sliown  in  the  Cut  "W",  Fig.  2,  is 
located  on  the  liighland  of  the  Wisconsin  river,  and  ia 
traditionally  recognised  as  a  national  monument. 

Such  memorials  of  a  departed  race  possess  a  peculiar  inter- 
est, for  the  reflecting  observer.  From  the  remotest  antiquity, 
nations  and  their  rulers  have  vied  with  each  other  in  their  cf- 
foi-ts  to  erect  memorials  of  themselves  which  should  withstand 
the  ravages  of  time,  and,  by  their  colossal  proportions,  costli- 
ness, or  rare  beauty,  impress  coming  ages  with  a  conviction 
of  the  greatness  and  power  of  the  builders.  The  pyramids  of 
Egypt,  the  mighty  columns  of  Balbec,  the  palace  walls  of 
Yucatan,  all  tell  the  same  story.  But  it  has  not  seldom  hap- 
pened, in  the  world's  history,  that  the  monument  has  outlast- 
ed the  memory  of  its  builder  or  its  tenant,  of  the  nation  which 
erected  it,  or  of  the  event  it  was  designed  to  commemorate. 
The  sculpture  or  the  paintings  upon  its  wall,  and  the  hiero- 
glyphics which  arc  supposed  to  record  its  history,  speak  an 
unknown  tongue,  and  only  dim  tradition  can  aid  us  to  guess 
their  origin  and  import.  It  is  only  within  a  very  recent 
period  that  the  attentive  study  of  the  Egyptian  antiquities  has 
been  rewarded  by  a  discovery  of  the  key  to  the  hieroglyphic 
writings;  and,  yet  more  recently,  the  sculptured  walls  of 
buried  cities  are  beginning  to  reveal  secrets  lost  for  ages,  and 
to  tell  of  populous  nations  and  mighty  sovereigns,  whose  very 
names  had  been  nnknown  for  centuries.  But  while  the  an- 
tiquities of  the  Old  World  are  deservedly  attracting  so  much 
attention  from  scholars  and  antiquarians,  ought  tlioseofour 
own  country  to  be  forgotten  or  overlooked  ?  And  ought  not 
the  earth-work  memorials  of  the  mound-builders,  presenting 


NATIONAL   M0NDMEN7S. 


69 


(as  we  believe)  some  of  the  earliest  and  primitive  forms  of  hiero- 
gljpli  •  records,  to  receive  their  due  share  of  attention,  as  the 
eom-ces  of  all  which  now  remains  to  us  of  the  history  of  an 
exiuict  race? 

Amalgamation  monuments  (one  of  the  most  remarkable  of 
winch  has  been  described  in  the  preceding  chapter),  are 
lound  m  northern  Illinois,  and  more  frequently  in  Wisconsin  • 
presentmg  in  outline  the  union  of  beasts,  of  birds  with  beasts' 
and  sometimes  of  the  human  iigure  with  that  of  a  beast  We 
have  aboady  expressed  our  belief  that  these  remarkable  com- 
bmat.ons  had  their  origin  in  the  union  or  amalgamation 
of  nations  and  that  they  were  designed  to  preserve  the  his- 
tory of  such  events. 

A  careless  observer  of  the  amalgamation-mound  which  has 
been  described,  might  suppose  that  the  designer  had  taxed 
his  imagination,  for  the  production  of  a  strange  and  non- 
descript animal  figure ;  but  a  closer  examination,  with  the 
assistance  to  be  derived  from  traditional  history,  recognises 
in  this  wonderful  figure,  the  union  of  the  Elk  and  the  Buffalo  • 
and  the  mystery  is  then  explained.  Such  a  symbol,  at  the 
time  of  Its  construction,  was  probably  well  understood  bv 
every  one ;  but  nou',  except  fur  the  vague  traditions  which 
preserve  its_  history,  its  origin  and  signification  would  be 
wholly  and  irrecoverably  lost. 

And  now,  when  liistory  presents  only  a  blank,  where  the 
labors  of  the  antiquarian  lead  to  no  certain  result,  and  the 
conjectures  of  the  scholar  and  the  man  of  science  are  all  at 
Jault-we  must  again  have  recourse  to  the  illiterate  savage 
^vl.o  by  the  dim  and  fast  ftxding  light  of  ancient  tradition,  de! 
ciphers  the  hieroglyphics  of  the  national  monuments,  as  he 
has  already  done  those  of  the  mounds  of  amalgamation 

The  great  body  with  outstretched  arms  represents  dominion 
over  an  immense  territory. 

The  one  horn  represents  the  union  of  warriors;    and,  it 
being  large  and  long,  shows  strength  and  numerical  power 
Ihe  four  prongs  show  that  these  warriors  were  under  four 
great  chiefs. 

The  great  human  effigy  represents  their  king  or  sovereign, 


70 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCHES. 


!,    ' 


T~ 


whose  body  is  represented  of  equal  length  with  the  monu- 
ment, thereby  indicating  his  unlimited  sway  throughout  his 
dominions. 

The  mounds  extending  in  a  direct  line  from  the  head  of 
the  king  are  four  matrimonial  memorials,  recording  the  mar- 
riages of  four  chiefs  with  members  of  the  royal  family.  The 
two  smaller  memorials  diverging  east  from  the  first  of  the 
matrimonial  memorials,  record  legitimate  royal  offspring,  in 
the  birth  of  two  male  children  in  the  family  of  that  chief;  and 
the  three  small  memorials,  diverging  from  the  third  matri- 
monial memorial,  record  the  birth  of  three  children,  leaving 
the  second  and  fourth  without  issue. 

The  body  of  the  king,  attached  at  the  loins  to  the  head  of 
the  animal  efiigy,  prefigures  international  legitimacy. 

The  great  length  of  the  arms  of  the  human  figure,  not  only 
represents  immense  territorial  dominion,  but  their  even  eleva- 
tion records  the  common  right  of  royal  honor,  independent  of 
any  anterior  national  distinction. 

The  arm,  which  in  the  amalgamation  memorial  is  repre- 
sented as  fallen,  being  raised  to  a  level  in  the  monumental 
memorial,  symbolizes  an  equal  future  national  dignity  in  the 
surviving  royal  remnant  of  the  Euffalo  nation. 

Thus  aided  by  tradition,  we  read  in  the  hieroglyph ical 
mounds  of  the  earth,  the  dignity  and  destiny  of  nations  un- 
known to  written  history. 

These  monum«iits  being  several  miles  distant  from  each 
other,  and  both  occupying  summit  heights,  would,  by  the  su- 
perficial or  careless  observer,  hardly  be  recognised  as  differing 
in  form.  In  fact,  I  was  told,  previous  to  visiting  them,  that 
they  were  identical  in  form.  But,  when  carefully  surveyed 
and  drawn  side  by  side  in  diagrams  which  exhibit  the  ar- 
rangement and  exact  proportion  of  their  parts,  the  distinction 
is  clearly  perceived  —  the  one  being  a  great  national  memo- 
rial rests,  as  it  were,  on  nothing,  half-buried  in  extinction ; 
while  the  other,  as  a  great  national  monument,  stands  stead- 
fast, on  a  firm  foundation.  The  one  facing  the  setting  sun  is 
symbolical  of  departing  grandeur,  while  the  other  hails  his 
rising  as  an  omen  of  increasing  glory. 


NATIONAL   MONUMENTS. 


n 


I  cntortam  the  opinion,  that  if  a  comparatively  small  per- 
tion  of  the  funds  expended  in  superficial  surveys  were  appro- 
pnated  to  excavation  and  the  acquisition  of  Indian  traditions, 
from  the  more  secluded  sons  of  the  forest  whose  dispositions 
and  passions  have  not  yet  been  soured  by  the  inroads  of  civi- 
lization,  that  we  should  obtain  knowledge  that  would  lead  to 
more  rational  and  satisfactory  conclusions  than  any  yet  at- 
tained relative  to  the  origin  and  use  of  American  tumuli 

At  present  the  personal  privations  essential  to  the  acquisi- 
tion of  traditional  knowledge,  are  too  great  to  be  willingly  in- 
curred by  hterary  men  unaccustomed  to  the  hardships  of  a 
forest  life;  and  the  illiterate  pioneer,  feeling  but  little  interest 
m  the  matter,  will  seldom  give  it  time  or  attention.  Thus  an 
interesting  history  of  the  past  is  being  lost  to  present  and  fu- 
turo  times. 

If  we  would  attain  the  much-desired  knowledge,  we  must 
seek  for  men  whose  natural  inclinations  and  antiquarian  taste 
impel  them  to  the  work,  and  who  are  stimulated  rather  by  a 
thirst  for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  than  for  gold 

The  extent  of  my  own  labors,  in  the  excavation  and  ex- 
amination of  some  four  hundred  earth-works  in  the  north- 
western territory,  is,  I  am  well  aware,  comparatively  small 
ret,  m  connection  with  a  limited  knowledge  of  ancient  his- 
tory it  enables  me  to  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  a  large 
number  of  the  conical  mounds  in  North  America  were  reared 
as  sepulchral  memorials  of  illustrious  dead. 

The  antiquity  of  the  conical  mound,  or  tumulus,  bears  even 
date  with  the  most  ancient  historical  records,  as  marking  the 
spot  on  winch  the  invincible  warrior  fell,  or  as  serving  to  pro- 
tect his  ashes,  and  to  preserve  the  memory  of  his  name  and 
exploits. 

Innumerable  deposites,  resembling  decomposed  animal 
rnattcr,  are  found  in  conical  mounds  everywhere  from  the 
Alleghany  to  the  Kocky  mountains. 

We  presume  that  the  primitive  mound  was  originally  ren- 
dered sacred  by  the  deposits  contained  within  it;  and  that 
the  love  of  monumental  commemoration  £rradual!v  increnspd 
with  the  increase  of  reverence  until,  in  the  fullness  of  time 


79 


ANTIQUARIAN   RICSKAROnKS. 


4 


tumuli  were  cvorywlioro  rcnrnrdod  with  lovcrential  respect, 
and  cormcquciiUy  becumo  the  Bufoguaid  of  sucred  places 
which  they  encircled. 

That  the  conical  mound  was  the  original  object  of  rever- 
enco,  is  also  attested  by  the  fact,  that  within  all  tlie  circles 
traditionally  recognised  as  sacred,  none  other  than  conical 
mounds  appear,  while  many  works  enclosing  largo  areas,  tra- 
ditionally represented  to  have  been  designed  fm-  other  than 
sacred  i)uri)ose8,  enelose  works  of  various  forms. 

Structures  similar  in  form  and  general  arrangement  to  the 
earth-works  of  North  and  South  America,  ai-e  said  to  have 
been  found  in  various  countries  of  the  Old  World  ;  and  these 
were  probably  constructed  under  the  influence  of  similar  su- 
perstitions,  although  they  may  have  had  tlieir  origin  in  widely- 
separated  orac. 

Some  modern  travellers  assure  us,  that  in  the  interior  of 
Africa,  on  the  river  Niger,  many  largo  towns  are,  at  this 
time,  surrounded  by  walls  of  earth. 

R.  Lander,  in  his  travels,  speaks  of  entering  a  town  of 
great  extent  surrounded  by  a  triple  wall  of  earth  nearly  twenty 
miles  in  circuit,  and  again  speaks  of  entering  a  town  called 
Roos-ea,  that  he  represents  as  being  a  mere 'cluster  of  huts, 
surrounded  by  an  earthen  wall. 

Thus  a  striking  resemblance  is  apparent  between  the  walls 
that  now  enclose  small  villages  in  Africa,  with  the  time-worn 
ruins  of  Fort  Ancient,  in  Ohio. 

So  that  while,  with  the  gradual  extinction  of  the  Indian 
race,  the  last  relics  of  pngan  superstition  a.-e  disappearing 
from  the  ftico  of  our  prosperous  and  happy  country,  and  the 
advancing  footsteps  of  civilization  are  fast  levelling  to  the 
earth  the  walls  of  ancient  cities,  the  sepulchral  mounds,  and 
the  altars  of  an  idolatrous  worship,  the  mound-builder  may  be 
yet  permitted,  in  other  and  remoter  climes  to  dwell  wi'thin 
1)13  earthen  ramparts,  and  to  pursue  his  accus.omed  labors,  as 
Ignorant  and  as  superstitious  as  those  who  Lave  gone  before 
him. 


THE   MONUMENTAL   T0RT018B. 


78 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THIS   MONUMKNTAL   TORTOISE. 

npiIE  extcn.fvo  group  of  tnmuli  and  embankments  (seen  m 
-^    Cut  L),  was  designed  to  connnemorato  the  title  and  diff- 
n.tyof  a  great  king  or  potentate;  and  its  erection  was  evt 
dentlj  a  work  of  groat  time  and  labor. 

The  central  embankment  representing  in  its  f„rm  tl.e  body 
of  a  tortoise,  ,s  forty  feet  in  length  and  twenty-seven  in 
b  ead  ,,,  a„d  hv'elve  in  perpendicular  height.    It  is  con.posed 

d.  tant  place      The  mounds  of  extinction-  (north  and  south  of 
^.central    orto.se),  are  funned  of  pure,  red  earth,  covered 
with  alluvuU  sod  and  are  very  perfect  in  form,  each  being 
twenty-seven  feet  m  length,  and  six  in  greatest  height,  grad 
ually  narrowing  and  sinking  to  a  point  as  seen  in  the  cuf 

Ihe  mounung  mounds,  occupying  the  four  corners  of  the 
group  were  each  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  twenty-seven  in 
base  diameter,  composed  of  soil  resembling  that  of  the  ad- 
jacent region. 

The  i>oints  of  royal  honor  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the 
group  were  sixty  feet  in  length,  and  eight  in  height,  with  a 
>ase,ameter  of  twelve  feet;  these  likewise  M-ere%omposed 
ot  soil  common  in  the  vicinity. 

The  prophets'  burial-mounds,  on  either  side  of  the  central 
effigy  and  between  it  and  the  points  of  royal  honor  just  de- 
scribed, were  twelve  feet  long,  four  high,  and  six  in  breadth 
composed  of  sand  mixed  with  small  bit's  of  mica  in  tte  t 
erior  to  the  depth  of  two  feet,  covered  with  white  clay  to  the 
Burface,  excepting  a  thin  surflice  soil. 

The  war-chiefs'  burial-memorial,  at  the  sontl,  (Fi.  Q)  ^^g 
twelve  feet  in  height,  and  twenty-seven  in  diamete,, 'cZ 


M 


u 


ANTIQUARIAN  RBSEAROnM. 


posed  of  aBtrntum  of  sand  two  foet  in  depth,  covered  with  a 
mixture  of  simdy  soil  and  blue  clay;  it  contained  eight  dis- 
tinct strata,  or  dopositca,  in  a  state  of  decomposition,  of  from 
Bix  to  seven  foet  long,  and  from  two  to  two  and  a  half  in 
breadth,  arranged  as  shjwn  in  the  figure. 

Tiio  council-chiefs'  memorial  at  the  north,  was  of  similar 
formation,  twenty-two  feet  in  diameter,  and  four  in  perpen- 
dicular height,  containing  five  strata,  or,deposite8,  as  shown  ia 
the  Cut,  Fig.  1. 

The  tliirteen  small  mounds,  on  the  north  and  south,  and 
adjacent  to  the  chiefs'  bnrial-n'ounds,  record  the  number  of 
chiefs  whoso  bodies  are  deposited  in  each. 


FORT  ANCIENT. 

This  name  has  been  given  to  an  interesting  and  remark- 
able earth-work  erected  upon  a  prominent  neck  of  land  on  the 
eastern  bank  of  the  Little  Miami  river,  about  thirty-five  miles 
northeast  of  Cincinnati.  It  is  not  only  the  most  extensive  and 
magnificent  work  of  its  class  in  the  state  of  Ohio,  but  it  beara 
the  marks  of  higher  antiquity  than  most  others. 

The  terrace  upon  which  it  stands,  presents  precipitous  de- 
clivities on  all  sides,  except  toward  the  northeast,  where  a 
neck  of  land,  of  about  forty  poles  in  breadth,  slopes  eastward, 
gradually  widening  as  it  recedes  imtil  lost  in  the  common  nn- 
dulution  of  the  surrounding  country.  From  either  side  of  this 
neck,  or  ridge  of  land,  two  deep  ravines  diverge  north  and 
south,  through  wdiich  flow  two  small  streams  tributaries  to 
the  Little  Miami.  That  river  is  separatecT  from  the  higher 
embankment  by  a  narrow  terrace,  and  is  about  two  luindred 
feet  below  the  general  level  of  the  fort.     (See  Cut  V.) 

Various  conjectures  have  been  advanced  as  to  the  origin 
and  design  of  this  work,  all,  however,  tending  to  the  same 
conclusion — that  it  was  designed  for  a  military  fortification, 
and  for  purposes  of  defence.  The  situation  and  general  out- 
line of  the  embankments,  similar  to  those  of  modern  fortifica- 
tions, would  seem  to  render  this  view  a  very  probable  one,  in 
the  absence  of  all  authentic  history  or  reliable  tradition.  But 
when  we  reflect  how  few  and  sim''>le  were  the  implements  of 


FOBT  ANOIKNT. 


tl 


«? 


saij, ...  MOW  of  1,0  many  „oticc8  ofit  wl,icl,  Imvo,  from  time 
to  t„„e,  boon  published  by  visitors  wl.om  cniosi,:  „  „    ™ 
of  m.l,q„anan  reBcarcl,,  Imvo  drawn  to  tl,o  ,,lnco     T  1 
w,,  „„,  ,v  0    ,        ,„,„  goncmlly  governed  by't  „j„,,,!  ^ 
of  1,080  «l,o  bad  preeeded  tbem,  have  eontented  tl  e„,te  ves 

at  c„  >tK,„  that  I  l,„vo  yet  eeen,  is  to  bo  foand  in  D,-,  E,  ]I 
Dav,8    Ee«en,el,ee  m  tbo  Valley  of  ll,o  Mississippi,  made  in 
com,ecl,„„  „.„h  Mr.  E.  G.  Squie,.  „„d  „eeepted  bjt  ,    Sn,it, 
eon,.u,  Insftution  for  publication,  in  ,847.     Wl,i  e  I  eo^ 
diallyoonpatalate  tboso  gentlemen  on  ,ho  general  in  erest 
mamfes  ed   ,„   tbo  extensive  surveys  tbey  have  pe,'  ll  l' 
made  of  some  of  tbe  most  extensivj  and  eomplield    ant 
works  ,n  tbo  nnmediate  valley  „f  „,e  Seioto  ri'ver  and  mZ 
a nes,  I  can  but  regret  tbeir  failure  to  investigate,  personally, 
1..8  ma,nmotb  among  earth-wcls.    And  this  is  tl  c  more  to 
be  n^,ettcd  m  view  of  the  exact  accn.aey  and  futbfulne^ 
ma    tested  by  Dr.  Davis,  in  l,i,  surveys  and  delineations  of 
nmny  ,n  r.eate  and  extensive  g,™,ps  of  earth-works,  tbe  traces 
of  wl„el,  are  rap,dly  disappearing,  and  which  can  only  be 
preserved  in  diagrams.  "^ 

In  the  adoption  of  Prof.  Locke's  survey,  however,  we  were 
secure  from  eri-or,  for  all  of  the  more  recent  survey's  confirm 
^s  accuracy     Many  of  the  minor  details  represented  in  Mr 
Ji.  C..  Squire  s  plan,  have  escaped  my  observation  in  several 
protracted  examinations  which  I  have  made  of  the  premises 
11.8  plan  presents  a  very  pretty  picture;  but  the  traces  of 
living  water  represented  as  diverging  from  the  apertures  or 
breaks  in  the  embankment,  I  have  failed  to  discover,  and  au- 
tumn frequently  finds  those  which  are  shown  in  the  appended 
cut,  without  water.     There  are,  however,  several  rn v!n.=  th.t 
enter  tlie  enclosure,  through  which  the  surface  water  from 


76 


ANTIQUARIAN  RE3EAECnES. 


1 1  4, 


Il4 


i*] 


heavy  rams  and  melting  snows  are  discliarf^cd ;  and  tliis  has, 
to  some  extent,  changed  tlio  surface  and  deranged  the  form 
of  tlie  interior. 

The  extreme  antiquity  of  this  M'ork  is  evident  in  tlie  mag- 
nitude of  the  embankment  situated  as  it  is  on  tlie  very  briiilc 
of  a  precipice  where  no  obstruction  is  represented  to  its  rapid 
wear,  by  the  work  of  rain,  and   the  annual  npheaving  of  the 
earth  by  frost,  &c.    In  view  of  tliis  fact,  the  almost  incredible 
magnitude  of  the  original   work  is  also  apparent.     ISTotwith- 
Btanding  Dr.  Locke,  and  others  whose  opinions  are  worthy  of 
much  consideration,  suppose  the  earth  used  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  wall  to  have  been  taken  from  the  pits  within  the 
enclosure,  we  mnst  dissent  fro)n  such  a  conclusion.     In  a  re- 
cent examination  of  the  premises,  by  boring,  we  discover  at 
points  along  the  interior  base  of  the  wall,  distant  twelve  feet 
from  the  same,  and   where  i.nterior  excavation  is  least  ap- 
parent, stratified   alluvial  to  the  depth  of  eighteen  feet,  while 
at  the  distance  of  sixty  feet  fiom  the  wall,  no  such  stratifica- 
tion is  to  be  observed.     The  depth  of  alluvials  at  this  point, 
evidently  formed  by  the  decomposition  of  vegetable  matter, 
is  strong  evidence  of  the  former  existence  of  a  deep  ditch 
around  the  interior  of  the  whole  work,  except  where  the  em- 
bankment crosses  the  peninsula  or  ridge  of  liigh   land,  at 
which  point  this  alluvial  formation  is  found  by  borinjr  along 
the  exterior  base  of  the  wall,  and  to  the  depth  of  six  fee^t 
within.     It  is,  moreover,  woilhy  of  remark,  that  (he  woik  en- 
tirely across  this  peninsula  is  not  oidy  much  higlier  than  any 
other  portion  of  the  structure,  but  retains  a  uniformity  of  fin- 
ish not  to  be  observed  to  the  same  extent,  at  any  other  point 
of  the  structure.    At  all  points  where  the  exterior  declivity  13 
most  precipitous,  the  mngnifude  of  the  walls  is  proportion  ably 
less,  and  at  several  points  does  not  exceed  six  feet  in  perpen- 
dicular altitude,  while  the  line  across  the  peninsula  towers  to 
nearly  eighteen.    The  wall  on  the  isthmus  connecting  the  two 
great  compartments,  retains  a  more  uniform  height  than  any 
other  portion  of  the  work  ;  the  stratification  of  alluvial  does  not 
run  so  deep  along  this  isthmus  as  at  other  points,  and  we  pre- 
sume the  wall  to  have  originally  been  less  high  than  elsewhere. 


FORT  ANCIKNT. 


77 


dent      ,"1.       ."T'-'"'  ""  '"'"''"'•™  '»  ^1"""^  -i- 

worlCr  beli  V    Z  ta  I    ,    „  r"''/f'"  ""^  '"^  "^  ""•'  S-at 
formed  a„  „nb,oI    „  cl'    '„  o„    I  °"'    '''  ':°"^"""'<^''-  '"  ''"vo 

resa  or  e„.e"  s  ILi^Iled'      '       r  .Tj  ';'.'  ^^  r,"";",f  r 
breacl.esnoiv  observed  in  fhe  r>"  l  ,  '  T**  "'"'  ""  "■» 

ing  of  U,„be,  „..  H.e  we  ,  l;!:"  T r"''' '"",  "?™* 

a..st,u„ed  b,  ,1,0  faet,  „,at  „„  .        e  ,      "ide  ^f  Z'     T"  " 
compiirtinenf  in  mj.7  ti  '^"'f'"  siUe  ot  the  southern 

tl.«ea,,,.act,„     e,rc',L  r",      """'f  "^  •■'■<•«»•  ""<• 
lliev  co,„tit„le      1' '"'"  ''«  ^'■*™<,  ^v^,ose  favoriee  food 

b«>vy  ,,„„>,  „,.  other  accidental  ea„sc,     Tl  ,    n     ,  ^^ 

•■..Hi,e,.,„,,i,„a„a  ,,,,,„„  des;:;^ap":;:o:':.';rtu 


78 


ANTIQTTAKIAN  BESEAECHE3. 


m 


at  that  point,  and  present  another  location  for  a  lloch-house 
as  perfect  as  any  of  thrze  whlcli  now  appear. 

We  suppose  this  ditch  to  liave  remained  unobstructed  for 
a  long  time  after  the  abandonment  of  the  work,  and  until 
much  of  the  surfiice  of  the  wall  had  been  gradually  removed. 
The  first  general  obstruction  was  probably  occasioned  by  the 
uprooting  of  large  trees,  whereby  large  masses  of  earth  were 
deposited  in  the  ditch,  and  the  free  passage  of  water  im- 
peded, thus  giving  rise  to  the  formation  of  ponds  at  numer- 
ous points  along  the  wall.  These  ponds  were  subject  to  such 
casualties  as  we  have  already  referred  to,  and  occasioned 
many  of  the  breaches  which  now  appear.  Otiiers  of  these 
breaches  have  been  produced  by  the  uprooting  of  heavy  tim- 
ber which  formerly  grew  upon  the  wall;  for  it^is  apparent 
that  in  many  instances  the  removal  of  trees  now  occupying 
the  summit  of  the  wall,  would  result  in  similar  breaches,  and 
of  equal  magnitude  with  those  which  now  appear. 

The  embankment  is  formed  of  tough  clay,  resembling  that 
found  at  the  depth  of  from  five  to  twenty  feet  beneath  the 
surface  alluvial  of  the  enclosure  and  the  surrounding  country. 
This  clay  resists  saturation  to  such  a  degree,  that  surface 
water  is  in  many  localities  retained  in  the  spring  until  taken 
up  by  evaporation ;  it  is  of  an  oily  texture  and  so  solid  and 
compact  that  the  lighter  alluvial,  formed  by  the  decomposi- 
tion of  vegetable  matter,  is  annually  removed,  and  the  sur- 
face covered  with  moss,  which  afi'ords  additional  protection 
to  the  wall,  and  retains  moisture  sufficient  to  sustain  vegeta- 
tion. The  strong  resistance  afforded  in  the  "nature  of  the  ma- 
terial of  which  the  wall  is  composed  to  the  action  of  the  ele- 
ments, partially  accounts  for  its  remarkable  preservation,  as 
compared  with  other  and  similar  works;  for  there  is  no  struc- 
ture found  in  the  entire  valhjy  of  the  Ohio,  composed  of  simi- 
lar materials,  while  m-ny  are  found  enclosing  larger  areas, 
but  which  have  been  almost  entirely  obliterated  by  the  rava- 
ges of  time.  This  successful  resistance  of  the  wall  to  the  fac- 
tion of  the  elements  satisftictorily  accounts  for  the  hev.vy  <;e- 
posite  of  vegetable  mould  apparent  in  the  interior  ditch. 


Cut  W. 


niEROGLYPniCAL  MONUMENTS. 


Cut  E. 


© 


tW. 


Q    o    o    o 


©     Q     ©     © 


Scale,  to  pet  to  the  inch 
UONUMK NTAL  ?'OiJTOISE. 


1 

80 

n 
Jii 


va 
thi 
to 
the 


clif 
l're( 
ear 
enc 
reft 
the 
oto, 
T 
ted 

yet 

the: 

sin, 
ploy( 
able 
we  h 


WISCONSIN  AND  MINNESOTA. 


81 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WISCONSIN   AND   MINNESOTA. 

rrUERE  is  probably  no  portion  of  the  United  St.t.„  fi    . 
J-   presents  so  trreat  i  dlv^-c-f       e  .        ,  ^^^^  *''^^ 

earthen  m-uUs.     Heavy  workthn  '"'"  '"''"'^^  ^^ 


82 


ANTIQUAKTAN   RESKAUCnKS. 


in  the  lineal  mn^cs  (livor<;iiipr  from  Circlevlllc,  in  Ohio,  of 
which  we  shull  trt-at  in  anothiT  ])lace. 

Many  of  the  earth-works  of  WisconRin  hcinrr  thrown  np  in 
the  form  of  ethanes  representing'  men,  hirds,  hcasts,  tishes,  and 
reptiles,  isolated,  conneeted,  and  amalgamated,  ean  not  fail 
to  enlist  the  attention,  and  cliallenge  the  investigation  of  the 
cnrions  observer. 

Even  the  illiterate  savage  has  not  heen  entirely  unmindful 
of  then?;  although  long  and  familiar  acquaintance  has  served 
to  render  him  generally  inditferent  to  them,  yet  his  most  an- 
cient  traditions  make  mention  of  these  works ;  the  degree  of 
probability  which  some  of  these  traditions  possess,  entitles 
them,  in  view  of  the  apiiroaching  extinction  of  the  Indian 
race,  to  consideration,  and  makes  them  worthy  of  record. 

The  importance  of  such  a  record  l)ecomes"more  ajiparent 
when  we  rellcct  that  the  advance  of  civilization  (hreatens  the 
total  demolition  of  many  of  the  most  singular  and  interesting 
ancient  works  of  man,  unknown  to  wHtten  history;  and  if 
prosperity  in  the  future  is  best  secured  by  the  attentive  study 
of  the  past,  the  completion  of  such  record  becomes  a  debt  duo 
to  posterity. 

MUVNKSOTA   CIUOULAn   CKMETICRY,    AND   SACUIFICIAL   MOUND. 

.  In  that  portion  of  Minnesota  which  lies  south  of  the  St. 
Peter's  river,  and  west  of  the  ]\Iississippi,  we  find,  not  oidy 
iu  the  mnnber,  but  in  the  magnitude,  diversity,  and  compli- 
cated arrangement  of  the  works  of  the  mound-builders,  evi- 
denccs  of  an  ancient  population  more  dense  and  numerous 
than  probably  existed  north  of  those  streams. 

About  twenty-seven  miles  southwest  of  the  junction  of  th^ 
Blue  Eai-th  river  with  the  St.  Peter's,  on  the  summit  of  a 
beautiful  natural  elevaticm  in  the  midst  of  an  extensive  undu- 
lating prairie,  and  commanding  an  exceedingly  interesting 
landscape  view  of  many  miles  in  circuit,  is  a  large,  artilicial^ 
truncated  mouTul,  apparently  designed  to  give  finish  to  a  nat-' 
ural  circular  hill,  which  rises  to  the  height  of  fifty  feet  above 
the  adjacent  undulations,  and  occupies  an  area  of  about  six 
acree. 


•V 


MINNESOTA   CIRCUIAR   CEMETEEV.  gg 

Thia  m„„„a  (s„o  Cnt  G,  Fig.  1),  ;,  composed  of  various 

ocl..].  c    .0  tlio  gccral  farm  „f  tl,e  l,i||,  i|,„t,  wo.o  if  „„t  for 
I...  d,.crs,ty„f  material,  it  ,v„„,d   be  ixtre.nel/d  ffl  ,  t  to 

.•ocogmeo  ,t  as  artificial,  it  .,oi„j;  eovered  ,vith\„  a       ill 

BO,  ,  a,,.   ,:„eldy  elad  witi,  a  luxuriant  growth  of  grass 
In  smking  a  shaft  at  the  su,„,„it,  after  removiL  the  nllu- 
ml  surface,  wo  came  in  contaetwitl,  a  dense  stratr,mof  eh 

hearn,g  .he  marks  of  intense  heat;  this  rested  on  a  stratum 
o  sand  ashes,  and  ehareoal,  of  several  feet  in  depth,' bnea.h 
wlneh  lay  a  eo„,,™et  hearth  or  pavement,  regular  y  formed  of 

ound  water.washed  stones,  that  were  evidently  obt^ird  a 
somcretnote  l^ace,  as  none  of  similar  form  are  found  in  the 
v.cunty  On  „r.her  examination,  I  discovered,  on  removW 
the  contens,  that  this  pavement  lay  in  the  fo  m  ofTbasif 
cght  cat  n,  diameter,  and  about  two  i„  depth,  and  csled  ou 
a  stratum  o  elay  which  continued  nnclmngcd  in  tex  ,re  to 
the  depth  of  about  eight  feet;  it  there  bcca'ne  mingled  with 

«!7a;i;rt';:fair''"''"^ '--''  «-~"..vi::;; 

At  the  I«se  of  the  hill  are  twenty  truncated  mounds  of 
var,ons  dnnensions,  from  twenty  to  thirtyfive  feet  base  Id 
from  four  tos.x  in  perpendicular  height,  arranged  cqui-di^tanl 
:n  an  exact  c  rcle  aro.unl  the  hill.  All'of  thc'small  no ,  "d, 
are  eomposcd  of  clay  tningled  with  ashes,  which  seemt  ave 
.een  deposited  .„  snmll  parcels,  interspc.ed  throughout  1 
hody^o.  the  work,  being  most  dense  and  compaet^ne:  tie 

Af-ter   examining,  by  thorough   excavation,  four  of  the»„ 
small  works,  and  discovering  their  identity  of  material  td 
general  anangcment,  I  came  to  the  concluLn  that  al  wx  • 
unitorm  in  design.  ^ 

Ilaying  discovered  works  exhibiting  a  similar  Arrangement 
m  Wisconsin,  winch  were  traditional  3.  represented  by  De 
coo-dHh  as  sacnhcial  depositories  (the  cenlral  monnd  i^,l 
the  altar,  and  the  snrronnding  works  formed  by  doposiUn^ 
rehcs  of  sucniiee),  we  discontinued  further  exaniat ^  ^ 


84 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEAKCHES. 


Ii',4     '       ' 


MINNi:SOTA   SPIDER. 

Although  it  has  been  urged  by  Bomo  early  traveller  in  what 
is  now  known  as  the  territory  of  Minnesota,  that  no  artificial 
earth-works  were  found  within  its  borders,  yet  a  more  recent 
and  critical  survey  of  the  premises,  abundantly  disproves  such 
a  conclusion. 

All  must  concede,  however,  that  these  works  are  less  numer- 
ous in  Minnesota  than  in  Wisconsin  and  the  territory  south 
and  west  of  the  Wisconsin  river,  yet  they  may  be  occasionally 
seen  north  and  west  of  St.  Anthony's  falls,  on  the  Upper  Mis- 
sissippi. 

Most  travellers  in  their  explorations  of  those  northern  re- 
gions, have  mainly  confined  their  researches  to  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  navigable  water-courses;  most  of  which  an- 
nually inundated  the  lowlands  adjacent.  But  when  we  con- 
sider the  fact  that  the  mound-builders  in  every  part  of  this 
continent  yet  explored,  were  singularly  careful  in  the  location, 
of  their  works,  to  place  them,  almost  universally,  in  situations 
not  exposed  to  inundation,  it  no  longer  remains  a  matter  of 
surprise  that  early  travellers  in  those  regions  failed  to  discover 
them. 

While  it  is  conceded  that  in  explorations  heretofore  made, 
the  earth-works  found  north  of  the  Chippewa  river  are  few 
and  far  between,  yet  their  strange  forms  and  singular  rela- 
tive position  render  them  abundantly  worthy  the  attention  of 
the  antiquarian. 

Inasmuch  as  artificial  earth-works  are'found  in  each  quarter 
of  the  habitable  globe,  a  careful  comparison  of  relative  posi- 
tion and  of  form,  we  humbly  conceive,  may  yet  lead  to  con- 
clusions more  satisfactory  and  rational  than  any  yet  attained 
relative  to  their  origin. 

In  exploring  that  portion  of  the  territory  of  Minnesota  lying 
west  and  south  of  the  Mississippi,  above  the  falls  of  St. 
Anthony,  and  south  of  the  junction  of  the  Crow-wing  river,  to 
the  junction  of  the  Blue  Earth  with  the  St,  Peter's  river,  the 
appearance  of  artificial  earth- works  is  extremely  rare ;  we  dis- 
covered one,  however,  that  we  suppose  to  be  about  sixty  miles 


[I 


Cdt  v. 


Area  54  Acret. 


FORT  ANCIENT. 


Opt  G. 


CEMETERIES  OF  NEBRASKA  AND  MINNES 


KOTA. 


*-J 


ffl  f'' 


[! 

1 

!  1 

ii^        1 

,',  I 


i>  Ij 


TRIANGULAR   WORKS    IN   MINNESOTA.  gy 

north  of  tho  junction  of  the  St.  Peter's  with  the  Mississippi, 
wh.ch  we  deem  worthy  of  notice,  not  so  nu.ch  on  accoun!  of 
the  magn.tude  of  the  work,  as  its  strange  and  peculiar  con- 
nguration.  ^ 

This  work  (.ee  cut  P,  Fig.  4),  presented  in  well-defined  out. 
hne  in  a  connected  duster  of  embunkinents,  with  a  perpen- 
d.cular  altitude  of  from  two  to  four  feet,  is  located  on  a  promi- 
nent  emmence,  in  the  midst  of  an  extensive  undnlatin-.  prairie 
and  occupies  an  area  of  about  one  acre.  An  observeroccupy! 
ing  the  summit  or  centre  of  the  work,  at  the  point  of  its  greater 
elevation,  wdl  readily  recognise  the  outlines  and  figure  of  a 
mammoth  spider,  and  as  such  we  class  it  with  animal  effic^ies 

lluv.ng  received  j.othing  traditional  relative  to  the  us^e  or 
origin  ot  this  work,  we  must  leave  the  reader  to  exercise  his 
own  fancy,  with  such  assistance  as  the  faithful  delineatioft  in 
tiie  drawing  will  supply. 

TRIANGULAR    WORKS,    MINNESOTA. 

These  works,  of  rare  occurrence  in  Minnesota,  are  more 
abundant  in  Wisconsin,  are  in  general  of  small  dimensions 
Ihey  are  sometimes  seen  in  the  form  of  solid  embankments 
(as  shown  in  cut  P,  Fig.  3),  but  more  often  consist  .f  walls 
enclosing  triangular  areas,  with  sides  of  from  thirty  to  sixty 
teet.     The  wall  seldom  exceeds  a  perpendicular  height  of  more 
than  three  feet,  with  a  base  of  from  four  to  six  feet,  composed 
of  earth  similar  to  that  of  the  adjacent  country,  and  destitute 
ot  any  apparent  deposite.    They  are  traditionally  represented 
by  De-coo-dah,  to  have  been  used  as  cemeteries,  and  to  differ 
trom  the  small  circular  mounds  so  common  in  Illinois  only  in 
their  triangular  form  ;  that  form  being  indicative  of  a  distinct 
nationality.    The  interior  of  these  works  (as  shown  in  cut  L, 
Figs.  3  and  4),    is  represented  as  containing  the  dust  of  the 
dead.     When  the  entire  area  enclosed  had  been  superficially 
occupied,  the  space  between  the  several  bodies  being  filled  in 
with  earth,  a  second  tier,  or  layer  of  bodies,  was  commenced 
above  those  previously  interred,  and  so  on,  one  layer  above 
another,  until  the  interior  was  filled.     Tiie  work  was  then 
levelled  on  the  summit,  and  a  new  wall  created. 


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83 


ANTIQITAKIAN  EESEAECHK8. 


The  correctness  of  this  tradition  is  abundantly  verified  by 
an  examination  of  these  works  in  their  linished  and  unfinished 
condition,  as  we  now  find  them ;  some  having  but  few  depositee, 
while  others  are  in  a  more  advanced  stage  of  completion. 


ENCLOSED   CEMETERY,    MINNESOTA. 

This  singular  arrangement  of  earth-work,  represented  in  Cut 
N,  Fin;.  7,  occurs  at  or  near  the  junction  of  a  small  stream  or 
tributary  of  the  Crow-Wing  river,  within  about  twenty  miles 
of  the  junction  of  that  river  with  the  Mississippi,  but  is  more 
frequently  observed  on  the  highlands  bordering  on  the  St. 
Croix  and  Chippewa  .rivers,  in  the  intermediate  space  between 
those  streams.  We  have  not  yet  discovered  it  south  of  the 
"VYi^consin  river. 

It  consists  of  a  conical  or  truncated  mound,  of  from  thirty 
to  sixty  feet  in  base  diameter,  and  from  six  to  twelve  feet  in 
perpendicular  height.  The  interior  of  this  mound  is  composed 
of  earth  that  bears  the  impress  of  fire,  mingled  with  ashes 
and  particles  of  charcoal ;  the  exterior  is  alluvial,  mino-led 
with  clay.  .  ^ 

This  central  mound  is  surrounded  by  an  earthen  wall,  of 
from  two  to  four  feet  in  height,  and  from  six  to  ten  feet  base, 
forming  a  perfect  square  ;  and  this  is  surrounded  by  a  ditch] 
or  depression,  at  the  base,  of  from  one  to  two  feet  in  depth] 
and  from  four  to  eight  feet  wide.  From  the  exterior  brink 
of  this  ditch,  radiate  fotn-  elongated  triangulaV  embankments, 
varying  in  dimensions  from  twenty  to  sixty  feet  in  length,  a(f- 
cording  to  the  magnitude  of  the  work  enclosed,  generally 
arranged  as  repressnted  in  the  cut;  but  sometimes  in  the 
smaller  works  of  this  class,  the  radiating  embankments  diverge 
from  the  four  corners  of  the  enclosing  wall.  Similar  radiating 
embankments  sometimes  surround  truncated  works  (see  Fiff 
3  in  the  cut).  .  ^' 


-^^m<-^ 


SACBIJICIAL  PENTAOOW. 


89 


CHAPTER  X. 

SACRiriCIAL   PENTAGON. 

J-  of  the  Sacrificial  Pentagon,  has  pmbab)/ elicited  Z! 
numerous  conjectm-es  ae  to  its  original  use  Aan  L„!  T 
oarth.w„,.k  yet  discovered  in  the  vallev  o  t  e  jfLS^i  '" 

Ch^n     n  7'"       "''°"'  "'"■'3' "'iles  northeast  of  Prairie  da 

pe':t:;„:atri::i:edTr ::  -"t  "■■'*r--"A 

various  di,^ensions,a,t'sr;/,.::rerc'r'"^'  """"^^  "^ 

faced.    It  is  fovered^rd::.^  h'^'^lTo^ro^L":-:^ 
smaller  shrubs  and  under-brush  '  *'"• 

cir!!;r„f:il"t  1,77.  "'™/«'-  '-■'^-1  fee.  in 

;:  -..  ^  f '»%  -ts^  diZeti';-  ;?„--- 

Ateen   leet.      ihe  successive    removals   of  iv^^.    f 

:r=^;:^:Xit;Ti.:-.,rif^?- 

four  to  si"fe^i:re ll ,'"  t1"  '^,'"""^«  ."-  ™™»  «- 
aim,..raced,its,reaeii:::,rS,~^^^^^ 

betw  efi   an     :::  IT''";""''  "'*'•"  "«  P»'»8on,  a,"    . 

f.™.  HavinraV:;:r:;;',r::i:rtr:^^^^^^^  "-^  -^■■"«■ 

wha  i2":Tha?tb:se':-:r!™r »' "-^  ™'-  --'^  -•»  -«.■ 

pears  to  beVeWt  "  ""'  f"""«°"'  ""'^  "«  f"™  "I- 


;■ 


I 
t'  I 


90 


ANTIQUARIAN  BE8EAECHKS. 


The  central  mound  of  about  thirty-six  feet  in  diameter,  and 
retaining  a  smooth  finish,  seems  to  have  suffered  but  little 
from  the  wear  of  time:  It  is  nearly  flat  on  the  summit,  with 
a  slight  depression  at  the  centre. 

This  singular  arrangement  of  earth-work  is  traditionally 
represented  to  have  been  designed  for  a  sacred  national  altar, 
at  which  human  sacifice  was  offered;  and  this  tradition  is 
sustained  not  only  by  the  fact  that  the  summit  of  the  central 
mound  still  retains  the  traces  of  fire,  in  the  remains  of  burned 
clay,  charcoal,  and  ashes,  but  also  by  remains  of  the  same  de- 
posite  found  near  the  surface  of  five  flat  mounds  adjacent  to, 
and  south  of  the  main  work,  the  deposite  being  more  abun- 
dant in  the  central  mound  of  the  range,  than  in  the  other 
four.    (These  mounds  are  not  shown  in  the  cut.) 

The  central  mound  is  represented  to  have  been  the  most 
holy  sacrificial  altar  known  to  tradition;  and  the  peculiar 
form  of  the  surrounding  works  show  it  to  have  been  of  the 
highest  order  of  saci-ificial  monuments,  and  dedicated  to  the 
offering  of  human  sacrifice  only. 

The  head  being  the  only  part  offered  in  human  sacrifices, 
the  peculiar  form  of  the  pentagonal  work  was  symbolical. 
The  ancient  American  recognising,  in  the  five  angles  of  the 
work,  the  five  senses — seeing,  hearing,  feeling,  tasting,  and 
smelling;  the  head,  being  the  recipient  of,  and  fountain 
whence  flowed  the  manifestations  of  all  those  senses,  was  rec- 
ognised as  the  representative  of  them  all,  and  was  conse- 
quently set  apart  as  the  highest  and  holiest  offering,  known 
to  the  ancient  sacrificial  service. 

Tradition  asserts  that  human  sacrifice  was  offered  at  this 
altar  by  the  ancient  Americans  twice  a  year — to  the  sun,  and 
to  the  moon. 

The  sun,  being  the  great  fountain  of  light  and  life  through 
all  creation,  was  supposed  to  hold  the  supreme  power  of  the 
universe,  and,  as  supreme  ruler,  to  be  worthy  of  the  highest 
and  holiest  adoration. 

Without  the  light  of  revelation,  and  looking  only  to  nature 
and  its  analogies  for  his  views  of  God,  it  was  hardly  possible 
that  the  ancient  American  should  have  entertained  the  pos- 


SAGEIFICIAL   PpNTAQON.  ^ 

sibillfy  Of  intelligent  existence  without  the  distinction  of  sex 
Naturally  therefore,  the  moon  was  adored  as  a  goddess!!a 

nbord.nate  de>ty,-and  exercising  peculiar  dominion  over  the 
de  >ny  of  emales.  She  was  supposed  to  be  assisted  in  h  r 
government  bj  a  great  serpent,  whose  formwas  recognised  Z 
>i.e  CMcle  that  sometimes  surrounds  her  orb,  whiclfwas  be^ 
heved  to  have  especial  charge  of  refractory  spirits 

Thus  the  sun,  in  his  diurnal  course,  was  supposed  to  be  en- 

inoon,an  inferior  deity,  was  intrusted  the  care  and  keeping 
of  the  weaker  and  less  worthy  sex  ^  ^ 

This  great  altar  of  sacrifice  was  regarded  as  the  holy  of 
holies  or  inner  sanctuary ;  and  no  foot  save  that  of  a  prophet 
nugh   pass  within  the  sacred  walls  of  the  pentagon   IJter  L 
complefon      The  prophets  having  thus  the  su^iC'etnt 
of  this  sane  uary,  resided  on  mounds  in  the  vicinity  and  m 
mediately  adjacent  to  the  work.  ^ 

_    The  five  small  mounds  v  uhin  the  pentagon  were  denom- 

piophet,  they  frequently  retired   there  to  receive   oracular 
counsels,  which,  from  the  summit  of  the  mound  at    1  en 

people.    The  five  prophets  set  apart  for  this  service  were  in 
Z^r^"'^''^  their  wants  being  administered  rby 

The  times  of  offering  sacrifice  were  in  the  spring  and  fall 
An  offering  was  made  to  the  sun  in  the  sprint  l^  soon  .8 
vegetafon  began  to  put  forth,  with  much  feastLg  aTi;;.  a    o  . 
Then,  ,,       „.,,  ,     willow  showed  its  early  lel.ves,  fhe    'led 
of  the  nation  assembled  without  the  pentagon,  and   t  was  the 
pnvdege  of  the  oldest  male  present  to  ofFei-  hL  heal  ilsa  '' 
fice;  or  he  might  unite  with  the  four  who  were  next  in  a.e 
and,  with  them,  cast  lots  for  the  privile-^e     Tl Ln   th!  IT' 
self-appointed,  or  der.,.mined  byL,  asl  cl  e  ;Cl  t        - 
paired  t.  the  tent  of  the  senior  prophet,  who,  aicfed  by  1  a 
onr  pimor  associates,  painted  the  face' and  adol-ned  L  bo  y 
of_ the  favored  v.ctun  with  a  covering  of  the  mistletoe  tha^ 
being  the  holiest  and  most  rare  of  evergreens  ' 


93 


ANTIQUARIAN   BHSEABCHES. 


They  then  conduct  him  to  the  oracular  mound,  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  great  circle.  The  elder  prophet  and  tlie  victim 
ascend  its  summit,  and  there  stand  erect  until  the  people 
arrange  themselves  on  the  summit  of  the  wall.  Meantime 
the  younger  prophets  continue  walking  around  the  mound, 
chanting  songs  of  sacrifice. 

Tlie  spectators  all  being  orderly  arranged,  the  senior  proph- 
et takes  the  victim  by  the  hand,  and  they  proceed  around 
between  the  circle  and  the  pentagon,  the  younger  prophets 
following  behind.  They  walk  hand  in  hand  in  pairs,  chant- 
ing the  dirge  of  sacrifice. 

The  people  on  the  wall  continue  to  strew  evergreens  at  its 
inner  base  within  the  circle,  that  the  victim  may  walk  thereon, 
until  the  procession  has  passed  five  times  around  the  pentagon. 
On  their  arrival  at  the  oracular  mound,  at  the  termination 
of  the  fifth  circuit,  the  younger  prophets  arrange  themselves 
around  its  base. 

While  the  senior  prophet  and  the  victim  ascend  to  the 
summit,  both  standing  erect,  the  prophet  draws  forth  the  knife 
of  sacrifice.    This  is  a  signal  for  universal  silence. 

He  presents  the  knife  to  the  victim,  who  kisses  it,  and 
returning  it  to  the  prophet,  kisses  the  hand  that  receives  it. 

Tfje  prophet  then  points  the  knife  at  the  sun,  while  the 
victim  voluntarily  prostrates  himself  on  the  summit  of  the 
mound,  with  his  face  upward,  gazing  at  the  great  god  of  day. 
The  younger  prophets  each  seize  a  hand  or  a  foot,  holding 
the  victim  close  to  the  rround.  The  gref\t  circle  of  spectators 
who  line  the  outer  wall,  in  perfect  silenc  v/ait  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  sacrifice. 

The  prophet  then  severs  the  head  from  the  body,  and  con- 
veys it  bleeding  to  the  altar,  when  a  universal  shout  arises 
from  all  present. 

There  placing  it  in  the  same  position  as  before,  facing  the 
sun,  he  descends  to  the  inner  circle,  where  he  continues  walk- 
ing around  the  altar  until  the  younger  prophets  arrange  the 
fuel  upon  and  about  the  sacrifice.  They  tnen  seat  themselves 
at  the  base  of  the  altar,  and  the  senior  prophet,  ascending  to 
the  sacrifice,  point3  his  blood-stained  knife  at  the  sun,  and 


8ACKIFICIAL   PENTAGON. 


98 


waits  tl.e  return  of  tl.e  younger  prophets,  who  go  to  his  tent 
to  bring  each  a  brand  of  fiie  from  the  holy  liearth  * 

_  With  these  he  kindles  the  fuel,  and  again  retires  to  the  inner 
circle,  where  he  continues  walking  about  the  altar,  while  the 
other  prophets  feed  the  flame  until  the  sacrifice  is  consumed 
While  the  fires  are  burning,  all  those  in  attendance  on  the 
summit  ot  tl:.,  outer  ciicle,  occasionally  pointing  with  one  hand 
at  the  sun,  and  with  the  other  to  the  altar,  solicit  their  god  to 
receive  the  sacrifice,  and  to  bestow  his  blessings  upon  the 
nation.  or 

These  ceremonies  continue  until  sunset,  then   all   retire 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  next  day,  all  resume  their  posii 
tion  on  the  circle  and  about  the  altar,  to  salute  the  rising  sun 
It  the  sky  is  clear,  and  the  sun  rises  bright,  the  fire  is  ac^ain 
lighted,  and  bountifully  fed  with  fuel  for  several  hours  •  it  is 
then  8uff"ered  to  burn  without  further  supply,  until  the  sun 
reaches  the  meridian,  when  the  prophets,  having  gathered 
together  the  evergreens  that  were  strewed  at  the  base  of  the 
circle,  place  them  on  the  fire,  that  their  smoke  may  ascend  to 
the  sun  as  a  national  incense.    After  these  have  been  con- 
sumed, the  senior  prophet  uncovers  the  body  of  the  victim 
places  the  mistletoe  on  the  coals,  that  the  smoke  of  this,  too,' 
may  ascend  as  a  sweet  savor,  and  disseminate  the  principles 
of  life,  that  all  may  inhale  and  live. 

The  younger  prophets  then  carry  brands  of  the  holy  fire  to 
their  tents,  and  return  each  to  convey  a  live  coal  to  the  tent 
of  the  senior  prophet,  whose  hearth  alone  must  supply  the  fire 
to  kindle  a  sacrificial  blaze  meet  for  that  holy  altar;  a  hearth 
whose  fire  is  always  fed,  and  never  suffered  to  be  extinguished. 
If  the  sun  rose  clear,  a  portion  of  the  sacrificial  ashes  was 
delivered,  with  the  body  of  the  victim,  to  the  friends  or  rela- 
tives, for  monumental  commemoration ;  a  part  being  reserved 
for  deposite  by  the  prophet  in  the  oracular  mounds,  to  secure 
intercourse  with  the  dead.    But  if  the  sun,  at  its  rising,  was 
obscured  by  clouds  that  were  considered  ominous  of  some 
national  calamity,  or  as  indicating  the  disapprobation  of  the 
sun,  or  his  refusal  to  accept  the  sacrifice,  then  the  ashes  were 
retained  on  the  altar,  that  the  sun  might  daily  look  upon  them, 


94 


ANTIQUAUIAN   RESKARCITKS. 


and  thus  he  propitiated  ;  and  thobody  was  delivered  over  with 
wailing.  If  the  sun  reinaint'd  obscured  for  five  successivo 
days,  a  second  Bacrilico  was  offered. 

Diirin<5  these  cerotnonics,  an  nnbroken  fast  was  strictly  ob- 
served by  all  who  were  in  attendaiice,  and  in  the  event  of  a 
second  offering,  the  nation  was  required  to  fast  for  five  days. 

In  autumn,  iniinediately  after  the  first  blighting  frost,  tho 
same  ceremonies  were  observed. 

But  now,  the  victim  behig  a  female,  tho  selection  was  seldom 
made  by  lot,  for  their  love  of  monumental  commemoration 
was  so  groat,  and  this  being  the  only  means  through  which 
they  could  obtain  it,  that  the  privilege  was  considered  too 
precious  to  be  placed  at  the  risk  of  chance. 

This  sacrifice,  being  dedicated  to  the  moon,  -was  always 
offered  at  the  full  moon  ;  and  if  at  that  time  of  offering,  the 
moon  was  surrounded  by  a  serpent,  or  circle,  two  victims  were 
offered  at  the  same  time. 

After  all  the  ceremonies  of  sacrifice  were  observed,  tho 

fast  was  succeeded  by  a  sumptuous  feast  at  the  Festival  Cir- 
cle.    (CatG.) 

This  circle  is  formed  by  five  crescent-shaped  earth-wor1<8, 
surrounding  a  central  work  of  circular  form,  with  a  smooth 
level  surface,  surrounded  by  radiating  triangular  projections. 
These  projections  are  regularly  arranged  equi-distant  from 
each  other,  v/ith  spaces  between  of  sufficient  width  to  admit 
of  convenient  ascent. 

In  a  work  of  this  description,  seen  on.  the^low  lands  of  tho 
Kickapoo,  tho  central  work,  designed  to  represent  tho  sun, 
has  a  base  diameter  of  about  sixty  feet,  with  a  perpendicular 
altitude  of  about  three.  It  is  traditionally  represented  to 
have  been  occupied  only  in  sacrificial  festivities  consequent 
upon  the  offering  of  human  sacrifices. 

The  five  crescents,  or  lunar  circle,  also  present  a  flat  sur- 
face, with  an  ele^'ation  of  about  two  feet. 

Immediately  after  the  propitious  offering  of  human  sacri- 
fice, the  people  assembled  at  this  place  to  indulge  in  festivi- 
ties, that  were  celebrated  with  singing  and  dancing.    In  the 


Cut  G. 


^   SACKED  lEriTIVAL  CIKCLE, 


ClT  L. 


WOItKS  IN  OHIO  ANO  NKBIJASKA. 


I 


SACniFICIAL   PENTAGON. 


97 


feetlvnl  dan.o,  tl.o  mnlcs  occnpiod  tho  central  mound,  or  sun 
and  tho  to.nuIo8  tl.o  crescents,  or  lunar  circle  ' 

have  discovered  bnt  five  of  these  festival  circles,  and 
but  two  pentagons;  and  have  not  found  in  any  of  them  any 
depos.to  whatever,  except  that  found  at  tho  pentagon  7n  the 
rema.ns  of  burned  clay,  n.ica,  charcoal,  and  ashcB.''     ' 

Trad U.on  declares  that  the  fire  used  at  the  pentagon  in  sac- 
rfi    al  eerv.ce  was  received  from  tho  sun  by  tho  most  holy 

opl  et,  on  tho  sunnnit  of  the  altars.     Does  not  this  assist  us 
in  finding  an  explanation  of  what  has  hitherto  given  rise  to 

Z^rZf ''''''  r'  -"-i-^"-' "--b-,  thelrequent  oe! 
cunen  0  o  nl^oa  deposited  in  tumuli,  at  places  ren  ote  from 
any  natura  locality  of  that  substance  ?  The  tumuli  in  which 
wo  have  d.scovered  these  deposites,  are  those  which  tra- 
dition has  indicated  as  tho  burial-mounds  of  prophets.    Now 

of  idolatry,  the  pretended  miracle  of  calling  fire  from  heaven 
to  consume  the  offering  upon  the  altar  of  Sacrifice,  ha  be" 
a  favorite  dev.co  with  which  to  impose  upon  the  credumy 
and  superstition  of  an  ignorant  people.  Especially  has  th^ 
been  true  of  those  nations  who  have  regarded  the  sun  as  t  e 
aupreme  ol.'ect  of  idolatrous  worship.  Zoroaster  ta Tgl 
followers   that  tl.o  sacred  fire  which  he  intrusted    tS  the  r 

he  modern  fire- worshipper  must  burn  with  no  flame  less  pure 
Oian  hat  which  the  rays  of  tho  sun  itself  serve  to  in'd 
l^adition  informs  us,  as  wo  have  before  stated,  that  this  de- 
V  ce  was  not  unknown  to  the  prophets  of  the  a;cient  AmeH- 
by  I.em  f 'T  "  ""P'-^^'-^ble  that  mica  was  made  use  of 
by  them,  for  tho  concentration  of  the  sun's  ravs,  in  effecting 
tb.B  apparent  miracle,  of  kindling  tho  sacred  fire  •  and  "a! 
consequently  it  became  to  be  regarded  as  itself  sacred  and 
to  bo  set  apart  for  tho  exclusive  use  of  the  prophets         ' 

Ihere  are  many  circular  enclosures  (without  a  penta-onal 
enclosure,  however),  larger,  smaller,  and  of  nearl/  h^saTne 
d.mens.ons  as  this;  but  in  none  of  them  do  we  fi.^  an' 
Bunilar  central  deposite.    This  seems,  at  least,    o  i  dicate 


08 


ANTIQCARIAN    BES1CARCIIK8. 


Bomo  peculiar  nnd  marked  design  in  tho  constiuctlon  of  tlu« 
8in;:;uliii-  work. 

Circleville,  in  Ohio,  enclosed  witliin  a  double  wall,  has  a 
control  work  of  similar  form  to  that  enclosed  by  tlio  penta- 
gon ;  yet  no  traces  of  nwlies,  cliarcoal,  or  earth,  bearing  marks 
of  fire,  were  discovered  there.  Tliia  work,  however,  con- 
tained some  rare  Bpecimens  of  mica.  Fort  Ancient,  and 
many  other  enclosures  in  tho  Scioto  valley,  are  entirely  with- 
out micu. 


CIUCI-EVILLK,    m   OHIO. 

"While  there  nro  rnnny  embankments  of  great  extent,  vary- 
ing in  form  and  relative  connection,  which  tradition  rec- 
ognises .  -i  the  enclosures  oi'  ancient  cities,  nnu  places  of 
refuge,  the  works  at  Circlovillo  traditionally  denominated  the 
Temi)lc  of  Peace,  and  those  which  enclose  the  pentagon,  just 
described,  are  the  only  ones  which  are  regarded  as  oxclu- 
fiively  sacred.    (See  Cut  L,  fig.  2.) 

On  presenting  to  De  coo  dah  a  drawing  which  I  iiad  pre- 
viously taken  of  the  earth-work  of  Circleville,  his  eyes  beamed 
Vi^ith  delight,  and  he  exclaimed,  "Scio-tee!"  But  when  I 
informed  him  that  a  populous  vilhigo  now  stood  within  the 
walls  of  the  ancient  enclosure,  his  frame  trembled  with  emo- 
tion, nnd  his  visage  grew  dark  with  anger,  I  observed  his 
excited  state,  and  sought  to  change  tho  subject.  Ihit  my  ef- 
forts were  in  \ain,  for  luemories  of  that  anfeient  work  seemed 
to  engross  all  his  thoughts.  lie  soon,  liowever,  became  more 
composed,  and  again  repeated,  as  if  to  liimself,  "Sci-o-tee!" 
Soon  lie  inquired  whether  those  sacred  works  remained  un- 
injured ?  I  hesitated  for  a  moment,  before  replying.  IIo 
raised  his  voice  to  a  louder  tone,  and  with  an  apparently  un- 
conscious inovement  of  liis  hand  toward  the  handle  of  his 
knife,  he  asked,  "  Do  the  bones  of  my  fathers  rest  in  peace?" 

My  reply  in  the  affirmative  apparently  re-a§snred  him;  he 
regained  his  coinposure,  and  soon  began  to  rehearse  to  me 
the  traditiotuil  history  of  the  place. 

Kotwilhstanding   his  advanced  age,  for  De-coo-dah  Lad 


oinciFviLLR,  IS  oiiro. 


tbon  numhorcd  tnnro  trmn  A 


00 


loct 


oiiihcoro  nnd  ten  ycni-B  liiq  rrrnl 
:.o,„  „..,..,  vivid  „„„  cle,„,  „,„,  I  „„,  „i„i.l',  uVmS; 
accuracy  „.  I,„  ,l™c,i,,ii„„  c,f  r,„.,„  „,„|  „,.,.„„Ro,„„„t 

Sov.,,.y..ix  vvin.c™,"  .„i,|  |,e,  "!,„,„  p,„.„,  „„.       ,. 

»n<l  «.n  ,:„!  n.n,i.,„bci-  that  tho  oW™t  of  our  tril,e  often 
cnitn  uithm  Unit  circlo. 

"TI,o  g,e«t  Spirit  re«lcd  on  tho  control  monnd,  „nd  thenco 
g«vo  oracles  ,o  tho  .ro^het.  at  tho  „,,pe«„c    Jf  ^JZ^ 

"  Onca  n  year  tlio  noigldmrinf;  nations  met  together  to  sins 
«ons»  al,o„t  ,h„  sacred  circle  and  to  rcccivt"  tluou  -I  ",! 
pro|,het,  tho  blessings  o.   heir  falhc-s  ^        ° 

"So  great  n  sacred  tem|,le  is  not  often  seen  ;  lu.t  tnis  wa, 
erected  by  the  nrn'on  of  f„„r  nation,  that  liv'ed  for  ™„" 
yea,,  at  peace  with  each  other,  and  ,„et  annually  in  festive 
union.  Tins  encio  occupied  the  gengraphieal  centre  of  lh» 
crr,tory  be  „,,gi,,g  to  these  four  great  nation,,  andL"2 
muges  o(  „rt,fie,nl  ,„ouuds  diverging  from  this  common  ce^ 
trc,  marked  the  bounds  between  them.  Each  nation,  at  tTe 
m,uu„l  ,.e,  occupied  its  own  soil,  except  only  the  grut 
chiefs.  To  these  was  assigned  a  position  south  of  the  circle 
on  an  eminence  con.manding  a  fail  view  of  tho  whole  work! 

tent,  of  a  aenueneular  form,  norlh  of  (he  circlo.     This  tent 

cnte  w,tl,  Ihe  c  nefs.    lu  .t  all  national  business  perta!m-n»  to 
he  genera  welfare  of  the  people  was  adjusted,  royal  intern^ 

foual  nupt.als  ralilied,  and  titles  of  hono,-  conf^-red. 

mere  were  five  matrimonial  mounds  appended  to  tliia 
acred  ,v„,.m„cated  within  tho  enclosures,"  „r  «•>,,„     ^'^ 

festival  square,  one  of  which  was  dedicated  to  the  matrir 

ma  service  of  each  nation  ;  m,d  one,  at  the  entmnceto   „d 

T-}^ztr  • '° ""  '"'"■"■°"'"' ''"-"" '"'"'^'■ 

At  this  tem|.le  the  order  of  circular  matrimonial  celelra. 
t.on  was  first  instituted,  it  having  been  the  custom  in  mo™ 


100 


ANTIQUARIAN  RESEARCHES. 


ancient  times,  for  parents  tc  bestow  tiieir  daughters  without 
their  consent.  Tlie  prophets  perceiving  that  unwilling  matri- 
monial union  engendered  st-  fe,  instituted  this  ceremony,  that 
females  might  have  power  to  escape  unwilling  thraldom, 
without  infringing  on  the  riglit  of  the  parent  to  bestow  liis 
child,  it  being  easier  to  establish  new  customs  than  to  abro- 
gate old  ones. 

The  ceremonial  consisted  in  running  the  ring  or  circular 
trail  around  the  matrimonial  mounds  that  were  slightly  ele- 
vated, and  made  level  and  smooth. 

During  the  annual  feasts,  the  resident  prophet  occupied  the 
summit  of  the  prophets'  matrimonial  altar,  from  day-dawn  to 
sunrise,  and  from  sunset  until  tlu^  close  of  twilight,  and  at 
these  times,  those  wishing  to  unite  in  matrimony  might  ap- 
pear at  the  matrimonial  altar,  dedicated  to  the  nation  of 
which  they  were  members.  On  the  appearance  of  a  male 
at  the  base  of  the  altar,  the  prophet  repaired  to  and  ascend- 
ed it. 

If  a  female  then  appeared  at  any  other  altar,  the  ceremony 
was  international ;  but,  if  not,  it  was  national.  In  the  latter 
case,  af>er  qiiestioning  the  individual  about  his  matrimonial 
engagement,  his  family,  name,  &c.,  he  was  commanded  to 
sing  a  nuptial  song.  This  was  f^e  signal  for  the  approach 
of  tlie  female.  If  she  came  accompanied  by  her  parents,  it 
was  a  national  evidence  of  parental  approval ;  but  if  she  ap- 
peared alone,  their  disapprobation  was  apparent,  and  the 
chanting  of  the  matrimonial  song  by  the  surrounding  guests 
was  in  accordance  with  the  circumstances. 

In  either  case  tlie  parties  were  entitled  to  the  privilege  of 
the  ring.  The  suitor  takes  a  position  east  of  the  altar,  at  its 
centre,  and  the  female  takes  hers  on  the  west;  all  being  now 
ready,  the  prophet  commands  him  to  pursue  his  bride.  They 
both  start  at  full  speed,  and  if  she  is  overtaken  before  she 
makes  three  circuits  of  the  altar,  she  is  his  bride,  otherwise, 
Le  may  not  receive  her  in  marriage. 

If  the  ceremony  was  international,  each  party  appeared  at 
their  respective  j.ationai  matrimonial  altars.  If  the  female 
desired  to  retain  her  nationality,  she  remained  steadfast  at 


CIRCLEVILLE,  IN   OHIO. 


101 


her  place,,  regardless  of  the  matrimonial  song  sung  by  her 
snitor ;  that  she  might  thus  secure  for  her  issue  the  privilege 
of  aclinowledged  descent  from  her  own  nation. 

But  if  she  forsook  her  matrimonial  altar,  at  the  call  of  her 
emtor,8he  relinquished  her  nationality,  and  became  for  ever 
after  one  with  the  nation  to  which  he  belonged. 

"This  form  of  mai-riage,"  said  De-coo"dah,  ''during  its 
strict  observance,  was  of  great  national  importance.     It  not 
only  debarred  the  cripple  and  effeminate  from  nuptial  union 
but  secured  the  succession  of  an  athletic  and  healthful  pro^ 
geny."  -^ 

Now  if  this  system  of  matrimonial  union  was  established  at 
the  temple  of  peace,  as  represented  by  De-coo-dah,  does  not 
the  appearance  of  the  same  form  of  earth-work  more  than  a 
thousand  miles  northwest,  in  the  regions  of  the  blue-earth,  in 
connection  with  the  lineal  range  of  pentagons  extending  from 
the  coasts  of  Labrador  to  Brownsville,  in  Pennsylvania,  fur- 
nish strong  evidence  of  a  migration  of  the  mound-builders, 
at  some  remote  era,  from  the  north  to  the  south  ?  And  does 
not  the  1  ast  dimensions  of  these  works  in  the  south,  compared 
with  the  smaller  works  found  at  the  north,  testify  to  the  con- 
clusion, that  from  a  mere  colony,  they  became  a  great  and 
powerful  people  ? 

^he  retention  of  some  of  their  original  traditional  customs 
among  the  Indians  of  the  present  day,  who  are  farthest  re- 
moved  from  civilization,  is  indicative  of  the  ancient  connec- 
tion or  amalgamation  of  the  two  races.  But  that  the  present 
Indian,  and  the  ancient  mound-builder  were  of  distinct  na- 
tional origin,  is  equally  evident.  It  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  a  population  so  dense,  as  the  works  of  the  mound-builders 
indicate,  could  not  have  subsisted  by  fishing  and  hunting- 
and,  besides,  the  known  aversion  of  the  Indian  in  all  acres  to 
labor,  forbids  the  possibility  of  their  construction  by  that  race. 

"Tins,"  said  Decoo-dah,  "is  one  of  the  most  ancient  sa- 
cred structures  known.  Here  was  the  great  storehouse  of 
ancient  tradition;  here  many  sacred  rites  and  ceremonies 
haa  their  origin;  and  the  wilful  transgression  of  laws  and 
edicts  here  promulgated  was  punished  with  death. 


102 


ANTIQUAEIAN   RESEAKCHES. 


"Many  moons  were  spent  'in  the  construction  of  this  groat 
work.  "With  the  earth  of  the  central  mound  were  mingled 
the  ashes  of  dead  prophets,  gathered  together  from  the  four 
nations.  The  ashes  of  infants  helped  to  rear  the  matri- 
monial mounds,  and  the  remains  of  many  generations  formed 
a  part  of  the  wall  of  the  inner  circle.  Thus  was  the  work 
rendered  sacred,  by  the  materials  employed  in  its  construc- 
tion. But  the  exterior  wall  was  formed  of  earth  thrown  from 
the  ditch  which  surrounds  the  inner  circle." 

Notwithstanding  this  work  is  generally  regarded  as  a  mili- 
tary rampart,  or  fortification,  yet  its  contiguity  to  high  ground 
which  commands  a  full  view  of  its  interior,  seems  of  itself  suf- 
ficient reason  for  rejecting  this  conclusion.  The  traditionary 
history  as  given  by  De-coo-dah,  is  more  probable.  Had  the 
work  retained  its  ancient  form,  I  should  have  endeavored 
to  induce  that  ancient  son  of  the  forest  to  revisit  with  me  the 
tomb  of  his  fathers. 

Shortly  after  this  interview,  I  showed  De-coo-dah  a  draught 
which  I  had  previously  taken  of  a  circular  work  near  Cincin- 
nati. After  looking  attentively  at  it  for  some  time,  in  silence, 
"Tell  me,"  said  he,  "what  is  your  opinion  of  its  use?" 

I  told  him,  in  reply,  that  white  men  held  in  high  estima- 
tion the  art  of  war;  and  that  when  they  viewed  these  ancient 
works,  which  seem  to  have  required  so  much  time  and  la- 
bor for  their  construction,  and  noted  the  similarity  of  their 
outline  and  general  arrangement  to  their  own  ancient  mili- 
tary fortifications,  they  naturally  inferred  that  these  were  de- 
signed for  the  same  purp^^ses. 

^  "  Ah !"  said  he,  "  the  white  man,  with  all  his  wisdom,  is 
liable  to  be  deceived!  The  tradition  of  my  fathers  recog- 
nise this  circular  work  as  the  scene  of  mirth  and  festivity,  not 
of  war  and  strife.  It  was  a  national  festival  circle,  the  prop- 
erty of  a  single  nation,  subject  to  be  used  in  common.  Once 
a  year  it  was  occupied  as  the  theatre  of  national  festivities." 
This  work,  enclosing  about  twenty  acres,  is  surrounded  by 
an  earthen  wall  of  light  structure.  It  has  suffered  much  by 
the  ravages  of  time. 

De-coo-dah,  being  old  and  given  to  reflection,  used  some- 


CmOLEVILLE,   IN   OHIO.  1()3 

times  to  fall  into  melancholy  moods,  and  at  such  times  seemed 
to  tlnnk  only  of  his  ancestors,  and  his  departed  wife  and 
ch.lda-en.  He  would  recount  the  many  kind  offices  of  his 
Wife,  the  sudden  death  of  his  children,  the  fall  of  his  last  son 
at  the  battle  ot  the  Bad-axe,  and  other  incidents  of  his  do- 
mestic  history. 

One  evening,  as  I  sat  listening  to  his  mournful  recitals,  I 
unconsc.ously  shed  tears.  He  perceived  this,  even  before  I 
was  aware  of  it  myself  He  immediately  filled  his  pipe  of 
friendship,  and  affectionrtely  addressed  me:  "Brother "said 
he,  «I  am  very  old,  and  must  soon  sleep  with  my  fathers  to 
be  remembered  no  more.  ' 

"I  have  no  son  to  perpetuate  my  memory,  or  transmit  to 
posterity  what  yet  remains  of  ancient  tradition. 

"I  have  never  trusted  any  white  man  with  the  traditions 
that  I  have  imparted  to  you;  receive  them  as  the  words  of 
trntli,  and  Iceep  them  as  a  sacred  trust. 

«  You  have  treated  me  with  kindness  without  the  hope  of 
reward.  I  have  nothing  to  leave  you  in  return  that  will  call 
to  your  re.nembrance  our  mutual  friendship,  save  those  an- 
cient  traditions.  Treasure  them,  then,  in  your  paper-book, 
and  keep  them  as  the  dying  gift  of  De-coo-dah ;  and  when 
you  return  to  your  f^icher,  your  children  and  friends,  these 
will  furnish  matter  of  interesting  conversation  for  you  all 
And  when  you  or  they  look  upon  any  of  these  ancient  works' 
t  ley  will,  perhaps,  recall  to  your  remembrance  your  friend' 
the  old  Mocking-Bird."  ^  ' 


lOi 


ANTIQaAHIAN   BESEABOqES. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


TKIUMPIIAL   MEMORIALS. 

IN  the  states  of  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  Iowa,  there  are 
many  earth-worlcs  which  resemble  in  form  the' bodies  of 
tnen  of  gigantic  proportions.  These  are  frequently  met  with  in 
pairs,  but  in  various  rehitive  positions.  Sometimes  the  effigies 
are  constructed  side  by  side;  at  others,  the  heads  are  contigu- 
ous, while  the  bodies  diverge,  and  the  feet  point  in  opposite 
directions ;  some  liave  outstretched  arms,  interlockin<r,  or  in 
cross-work  ;  and  others  are  without  any  appearance  of  arms. 

These  works  are  generally  accompanied  by  long,  narrow 
embankments,  with  triangular  or  pointed  extremities;  these 
are  traditionally  denominated  points  of  iionor. 

My  attention  was  drawn  to  a  couple  of  these  colossal  eflS- 
gies  constructed  on  the  second  terrace  of  the  upper  Iowa 
river.  These  figures  were  not  placed  side  by  side.  The 
usual  points  of  honor  were  appended  to  each  ;  but  the  one 
had  extended  arms,  while  the  others  were  without  arms.  On 
subsequently  revisiting  this  gronp  in  company  with  De-coo- 
dah,  I  inquired  of  liim,  what  was  the  reason  of  this  differ- 
ence, and  what  signification  was  designed  to  be  attached  to 
the  presence  or  absence  of  arms  in  effigies  of  this  class. 

lie  replied  that  those  monuments,  the  triumphal  memorials 
of  great  war-chiefs,  were  erected  after  the  cessation  of  hostili- 
ties (as  was  indicated  by  their  relative  position),  and  by  mu- 
tual consent.  Had  they  been  erected  during  the  war,  they 
would  have  been  placed  side  by  side.  Those  memorials  were 
seldom  visited  in  times  of  peace;  but,  in  time  of  war,  they 
were  never  passed  without  a  war-whoop  salute  to  cheer  tlie 
spirits  of  the  departed  chiefs.  The  long,  narrow  embanlc- 
Anonts,  on  either  side,  are  points  of  honor;   and  these  are 


Opt  M. 


MEMORIAL  MOUNDS. 


CnxN. 


GKOUP  OF  MEilOEIALS. 


1 

TRroMPHAL  MEMOBIALS.  IQif 

never  attached  to  memorial  monuments  which  do  not  pertain 
to  commanders-in-chief.  peruun 

Chiefs  that  fall  without  leaving  male  issue,  are  memorial- 
zed  with  closed  arms;  but  those  leaving  a  son,  or  sons  have 
their  arms  extended.    Thus  you  can  La  that  one  of  t^o 
chiefs  in  this  group  died  without  issue. 

He  afterward  pointed  out  to  me  the  memorial  monuments 
of  two  brave  chiefs,  not  commanders-in-chief,  which  Tv  be 

Ss^'Te":  -d  r  ''  ''^  ^-P  i-'  described  ^^^l 
chiefs,  he  said,  "you  perceive  are  both  memorialized  aa 
leavmg  issue ;  but  they  have  no  points  of  honoTlnd  bein^ 
memonahzed  during  the  existence  of  war,  they'ai^  pt,  ^f 
Bide  by  side.    (See  Cuts  M  and  N )  ^         ^ 

fell  with  him  in  battle,  it  was  memorialized  in  deposito  at  hia 
feet,  as  seen  ,„  the  cut.  His  antagonist  memSzed  ia 
Cut  K  lea™  issne,  male  and  female,  as  prefigured  Tn  the 
crescent  and  eircle  on  either  side  of  his  mem^oriaf  monnmen. 

rimonial  disposition  of  that  daughter    Near  tl,„  m  7^ 

ia  Illinois,  are  the  memorials  oi' two  chlf  'w,  „  fel    i""""''' 
sition  to  each  other,  but  not  in  personaTlnflii  ''''"" 

from  their  relative  position,  being^aTel  hTdtVrTth 
eft  male  issue  engaged  in  active  serviee,  which  iVi„d,W„^ 
b7  the  sharp  points  at  the  extremities  of  their   xtendea  arms 
The  memorial  monument  of  two  chiefs  who  fell  und„  J^ 

:.«•  miirx'f  ^0^'  'Tf  ™  ''""^  "- 

mues  noith  of  Terre-Haute,  on  the  Iowlan.1  of  the  ^a 
baah  nver,  HI  Indiana.  "^" 


Ij!    I 


mi 


108 


ANTIQyARIAjr  EKSlEAEOintS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


TITLE   MOUNDS. 


THIS  order  of  memorial  monumetits  abounds  at  various 
places,  from  the  Alleghany  mountains,  north  and  west,  to 
Ihe  Rocky  mountains  and  ice-bound  regions  of  the  north. 
South  of  this  range,  we  are  not  aware  of  the  existence  of  any 
of  this  particular  class  of  tnmular  embankments. 
-  There  is  another  kind  of  memorial  monument,  pertaining  to 
title,  which  resembles,  in  general  form,  the  war-chiefs'  memo- 
rial, seen  in  the  Cnt  CCA  casual  observer  would  be 
likely  to  regard  them  as  the  same,  but  on  critical  examina- 
tion, it  is  easy  to  discover  a  difference  in  the  construction  of 
the  head,  in  the  oval  protuberance  presented  in  the  broadest 
end  of  the  work,  and  also  in  the  additional  appendage  of  a 
national  monumental  mound.  There  are  sometimes  two  and 
pometimes  three  of  these  title  memorials  attaclied  to  one 
national  monumental  mound,  as  represented  in  Cut  D  D. 

Having  previously  observed  many  of  these  memorial  and 
title  monuments  near  the  banks  of  the  Wabash,  Rock,  and 
AVisconsin  rivers,  and  having  preserved  some  drawings  of 
these,  I  laid  them  before  De-coodah. 

After  silently  regarding  them  for  about  half  an  hour,  he  ob- 
served, repeatmg  in  substance  Avhat  he  had  previously  said  to 
me,  that  when  this  country  was  inhabited  by  his  early  ances- 
jtors,  game  was  abundant  and  easily  taken,  and,  consequent! }'•, 
they  having  leisure,  in  times  of  peace,  used  to  write  their  his- 
tory in  figures  on  the  earth.  There  being  many  nations,  and 
each  nation  very  populous,  a  small  amount  of  individual  labor 
would  suffice  to  make  an  important  record.  "  You  observe," 
he  continued,  "  that  on  examination  you  have  found  many 
embankments,  composed  of  soil  unlike  that  which  surrounds 


Oct  CO. 


TITLE  MOUND. 


Cut  DD, 


4JI 


Scale,  in  feet  to  the  incK 


TITLE  MEM0K1AL3. 


\l, 


«i 


f 


TITLB   MOUNDS. 


HI 


them— this  18  owing  to  the  fjict,  that  in  ancient  dnjB,  it  wna 
the  practico  with  some  nations  to  take  small  portions  of  earth 
from  sacred  places,  and  carry  it  with  them  in  their  migrations 
from  one  region  to  another,  to  bo  deposited  in  a  national  pile, 
sacred  to  the  memory  of  their  departed  friends.    This  earth 
was  sometimes  carried  for  many  days'  travel,  and  formed  the 
base  of  a  national  monumental  mound,  being  i)laccd  in  a  regu- 
lar stratum  upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  covered  wiUi 
earth  gathered  from  the  vicinity,  to  form  a  finished  structure. 
"It  was  also  a  custom  in  ancient  times,  when  it  was  not 
uncommon  for  healthy  men  to  survive  thirteen  hundred  moons, 
for  aged  chiefs  to  retire  from  chiefdom  when  they  became  in- 
firm or  forgetful ;  and  it  was  the  privilege  of  such,  on  retiring 
to  bestow  titles  on  whomever  they  might  select,  with  or  with- 
out the  consent  of  the  national  council :  but  in  all  cases  where 
national  consent  was  obtained,  a  symbolical  mound  was  erected, 
which  became  indicative  of  the  origin  of  the  chief  thus  honored 
by  the  deposito  of  a  nut  or  ncorn  in  some  part  of  the  monument 
after  its  completion. 

"  If  the  chief  designated  was  a  legitimate  son  of  the  chief 
who  bestowed  title,  this  nut  or  acorn  was  planted  in  the  imagi- 
nary loins  of  the  monumental  figure  ;  but,  if  ho  were  illegiti- 
mate, it  was  placed  below  the  loins.  If  title  was  confen-ed 
upon  a  grandson,  the  deposite  was  made  in  the  breast,  that  it 
might  take  root  in  the  heart,  and  bear  testimony  of  family 
affection.  If  the  party  was  not  immediately  related  to  tho 
family  of  the  chief,  the  acorn  was  planted  at  the  head,  to 
indicate  his  supposed  wisdom. 

"  But  the  commemorative  trees  which  sprung  from  seed 
thus  planted,  have  all  passed  away,  blown  down  by  thu  wi;id 
destroyed  by  fire  or  decayed  by  age,  and  not  having  been 
renewed,  these  monuments'  have  lost  their  former  peculiar 
significance  ;  yet,  on  many  of  them,  where  the  trees  grew  to 
a  large  size  before  they  were  uprooted  by  the  wind,  tho  traces 
of  their  former  existence  may  yet  be  observed. 
"  Every  long  national  monument  with  oval  ends,  had  orit^i- 

ip.m.  no  fliA  on>Kl 


and 


UpOT 


lemg  of  w 


peace.    Tho  latter  was  usually  an  evergreen,  the 


pmo, 


m 


n» 


ANTIQUARIAN   niWTCARCnKS. 


Ill 


ccdftr,  &o.  To  mar  tlio  trunk  or  break  tlio  liml)"*  of  tliia  tree 
of  peaco,  was  regarded  as  a  formal  declaration  of  war ;  and 
to  mar  or  break  the  tree  of  war,  denoted  the  cessation  of  hos- 
tilities; but  at  thoiinal  ratification  of  peace,  each  nation  pros- 
trated its  tree  of  war,  and  planted  a  now  one  in  its  i)laco. 

"Every  nation  had  one  monumental  mound,  at  which  no 
other  ceremonies  than  those  just  described  were  ever  observed ; 
ftnd  80  sacred  was  the  soil  of  which  they  wore  formed,  in  tho 
estimation  of  those  who  reared  them,  that  all  game  was  sufTered 
to  rest  unharmed  upon  them.  To  stain  that  soil  with  tho  bio  ;d 
of  man  or  beast,  incurred  tho  penalty  of  death.  No  medicinal 
\erb  or  root  that  chanced  to  grow  upon  these  moun>]  *,  was 
BufForod  to  bo  removed ;  thus  they  have,  until  recently,  retained 
their  original  fniins.  But  now,  could  tho  spirits  of  the  great 
departed  be  permitted  to  revisit  tho  land  of  their  birth,  to  wit- 
ness the  ravages  of  the  white  man  among  these  sacred  mounds, 
they  would  mourn  and  wail ;  ay,  they  would  proclaim  an 
endless  war  against  those  whoso  rude  or  careless  hands  have 
thus  done  violence  to  holy  places,  and  insulted  the  gods  of  the 

old  world." 

De  coo-dah  paused,  and  for  half  an  hour  remained  sdont, 
apparently  lost  in  profound  reflection.  He  then  recovered  a 
cheerful  air,  filled  his  pipe;  and  voluntarily  resumed  tho  con- 
versation by  inquiring  if  my  father  was  yet  alive.  On  being 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  he  inquired  where  ho  resided. 
1  answered  that  he  lived  nea.  the  eastern  shore  of  this  great 
continent,  and  that  I  was  born  near  the  ba-nk  of  James  river, 
at  the  mouth  of  which  tho  first  wliite  men  settled. 

"  Are  there  any  monuments  remaining  in  that  country  ?" 
he  asked.  I  told  him  that  on  my  father's  farm  there  was  a 
great  pile  of  small  stones  thrown  up  in  tie  form  of  a  conical 
mound.  " That," said  he  " was  '■  h'  iCbt iiir  place  of  ou.iie  great 
war-chief  or  chiefs,  placed  there  by  national  order,  to  be  honored 
with  a  funeral  pile,  in  anticipatioa  of  leaving  the  country." 
I  then  informed  him  that  the  pile  yet  remained  undisturbed 
and  entire.  He  clasped  my  hand,  and  exclaimed,  with  much 
apparentemotion  — "Thesonof  agood  man!"  Then, passing 
the  pipe  of  friendship,  we  retired  to  rest. 


CirrY. 

• 

•  • 

• 
41 

• 

•  • 

•  • 

1  > 

•  • 

• 
• 

• 
• 

• 
• 

• 

* 
• 

•      • 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

TBIANQULAU  AND  CKESCia^T  OUOUl'S. 


.|. 


1  • 


I' :  I* . 


•   •- 


Oct  II. 


Bcale,  200  feet  to  the  inch. 


esurssTVus  effiqie3. 


8 


THE  8BBPENT  IN   THB   WILDERITESS. 


115 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  SERPENT  IN  THE  WILDERNESS. 

TTAYIlSrG  thoroughly  explored  the  eastern  shore  of  the 
X-l.  Mississippi  near  the  junction  of  the  Wisconsin,  and  dis- 
covering many  monumental  designs  similar  to  those  generally 
found  on  the  opposite  shore,  I  resolved  to  cross  the  river  for  a 
more  critical  and  extended  examination. 

Soon  after  crossing  the  Mississippi,  at  the  junction  of 
Turkey  river,  proceeding  up  that  stream,  I  discovered,  on  the 
farm  of  Mr.  H.  F.  Lander,  an  isolated  triangular  group,  par- 
tially  destroyed  by  the  progress  of  agricultural  innovations, 
which,  on  a  careful  inspection,  I  recognised  as  an  unfinished 
group  of  residential  embankments.     (See  Plate  Y,  Fig.  1.) 

After  taking  the  form  and  position  of  this  group,  o^  being 
informed  by  Mr.  Lander  that  the  liighlands  in  that  vicinity 
abounded  in  tumular  embankmetits,  I  ascended  a  precipitous 
bhiff  terminating  near  the  junction  of  Turkey  river,  and  soon 
discovered  a  serpentine  range,  or  series  of  mounds.    After 
observing  their  position  and  order  of  arrangement,  I  traced 
them  two  and  a  half  miles,  and  found  them  to  represent  the 
body  of  a  huge  serpent,  with  his  tail  entwined  around  a  na- 
tional monumental  mound,  to  which  were  appended  two  sac- 
riJcial  altars  (Cut  II.  Fig.  1) ;  and  on  the  opposite  or  south 
side  of  the  serpent,  twenty  poles  distant  from  the  altars,  I  dis- 
covered an  embankment  representing  in  form  the  body  of  a 
huge  tortoise.    About  midway  of  the  body  of  the  serpent,  on 
the  same  side,  and  distant  about  twenty  poles,  was  erected 
another  national  monument,  with  two  sacrificial  altars.     On 
further  examination,  I  found  all  of  these  sacrificial  altars  to 
be  covered  with  an  alluvial  soil,  to  the  depth  of  about  four 
inches,  under  which  was  a  stratum  of  ashes,  earth,  and  chai^ 


116: 


ANTIQUARIAN   KESEAKCUES. 


coal  commingled,  to  the  depth  of  from  twelve  to  fourteen 

inclies. 

After  removing  these  two  strata  from  ahove,  I  came  in 
contact  with  a  bed  of  clay  burned  imtil  it  was  as  hard  and 
firm  as  well-burned  potter's  ware.    I  then  entirely  removed 
the  two  upper  strata,  when  the  summit  of  the  mound  pre- 
sented to  view  a  large  earthen  basin  (See  Cut  "W,  Fig.  2),  re- 
sembling in  form  a  baking  dish,  eight  feet  in  diameter,  and 
fourteen  inches  in  depth ;  but  it  was  so  brittle  that  it  could 
not  be  preserved  and  removed  in  its  original  form.     On  sink- 
ing down  beneath  this  vessel,  I  discovered  that  the  interior 
of  the  mound  was  composed  of  sand,  surrounded  by  clay  of 
two  feet  in  thickness,  which  formed  the  centre  outer  surface. 
I  then  commenced  an  examination  of  the  Ic,  -  erabank- 
ments,  and  found  these  to  be  composed  of  earth  resembling 
that  which  immediately  surrounds  them ;  the  mounds  which 
give  form  to  the  body  of  the  serpent,  are  composed  of  similar 
materials,  and  I  discovered  nothing  like  a  primitive  deposite 
in  any  of  them.    I  observed  a  lineal  range  of  mounds  run- 
ning northwest,  which  I   afterward  traced   to  the   Spring 
Grove,  a  distance  of  about  one  hundred  miles,  running  west 
from  an  altar  near  the  tail  of  the  eflSgy.     (See  Cut.) 

I  had  previously  received  from  De-coodah,  a  drawing  rep- 
resenting an  earth-work  in  the  form  of  a  serpent,  with  which 
was  connected  a  tortoise  and  sacrificial  altars.  lie  asserted 
that  these  were  worshipped  by  the  Black  Tortoise  nation,  in 
the  days  of  his  ancestors,  and  that  on  thos^  altars  they  burned 
the  hearts  of  their  enemies.  Since  then,  1  have  discovered 
many  works  of  this  kind,  agreeing  with  De-coo-dah's  repre- 
sentation, given  in  Cut  II,  Figs.  2  and  3.  And  as  no  other 
animal  effigies  are  found  in  their  immediate  neighborhood, 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  this  mountain,  now  peopled  by 
Christians,  devoutedly  worshipping  the  true  God,  once  pre- 
sented scenes  of  idolatrous  worship,  when  the  great  tortoise 
(according  to  the  traditions  of  De-coo-dah),  was  placed  there 
as  a  national  intercessor  with  the  serpent  god. 

I  l\ave  never  regarded  with  much  favor  tlie  views  of  those 
who   regard    the  primitive  inhabitants  of  North  America, 


THB   SEBPENT   m  THE   WILDEHKESS.  iVt 

ns  the  descendants  of  the  lost  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
But  I  confess  that  this  curious  earth-work,  thus  raised  on 
high,  on  the  very  summit  of  the  loftiest  hill  in  that  region  of 
country,  and  in  full  view  of  several  extensive  groups  of  resi- 
dential mounds  scattered  along  the  shores  of  the  Mississippi, 
does,  indeed,  forcibly  remind  the  observer  of  the  Brazen  Ser- 
pent raised  up  in  the  wilderness. 

But  this  subject  belongs  rather  to  the  province  of  the  theo- 
logian, and  to  his  consideration  I  willingly  surrender  it. 

In  traversing  the  high  lands  of  Turkey  river,  I  saw  many 
monuments  common  to  the  western  shore  of  the  Mississippi, 
but  took  no  drawing  until  I  descended  to  the  low  lands  of 
the  Mississippi,  and  arrived  at  Gottenbnrg,  a  thriving  little 
German  village  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  on  a 
high  prairie  bottom,  with  a  good  landing  for  boats.  The 
country  west  is  fertile  and  capable  of  sustaining  a  dense  pop- 
ulation. The  immediate  location  of  this  village  was  formerly 
called  Prairie  Laporte.  This  beautiful  prairie,  surrounded 
by  mountain  scenery  of  the  most  romantic  description,  pre- 
sents a  very  extensive  group  of  ancient  monuments,  among 
which  we  recognise  the  forms  of  two  large  serpents,  traced  by 
a  series  of  tumuli,  as  seen  in  Cut  U.  To  one  of  these  ser- 
pents '8  Attached  a  monumental  tortoise,  much  defaced  (on 
which  account  it  has  been  omitted  from  the  drawing),  which 
is  situated  just  within  the  village. 

In  this  whole  group,  we  read  a  record  of  the  dominion  of 
twenty-two  successive  sovereigns  or  great  chiefs,  indicated 
by  that  number  of  national  memorial  monuments,  appended  to 
the  effigy,  and  twenty-four  lineal  memorials,  appended  to  a 
national  mound.  We  have  also  a  record  of  the  extinction  of 
that  line,  in  the  presence  of  the  titular  monument  (in  the  form 
of  an  animal),  to  which  is  attached  the  mound  of  extinction, 
pointing  to  a  battle-burial  mound.  I  was  very  careful  in 
my  enumeration  and  delineation  of  these  mounds,  as  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  whole  group  will  soon  be  demolished,  by  the 
rapid  growth  o'  the  villajre. 

This  series  of  mounds  consists  of  residential,  monumental, 


liB 


AKTIQCARTAN   RESEARCHES. 


matrimonial,  memorial,  burial,  and  titular,  tlirown  up  In  na- 
tional, lineal,  and  hieroglyph ical  order. 

On  the  towering  summit  of  an  adjacent  bluff,  are  two  sacri- 
ficial altars,  \vhich  bear  an  appearance  of  having  been  nsed 
for  many  ages.  On  examination,  I  found  the  summit  of  both 
these  altars,  of  similar  form  with  those  formerly  described,  as 
found  in  connection  with  the  serpent  efiig}'.  These  altars, 
however,  seemed  to  have  been  exposed  to  a  much  hotter  fire, 
the  crockery  basin  being  much  thicker,  and  as  hard  as  a  well- 
burned  biick.  I  labored  hard  for  six  successive  hours,  with 
a  good  steel-pointed  pick,  to  make  a  hole  in  the  centre.  The 
basin  proved  to  be  twenty-seven  inches  in  tiiickness.  The 
sand  beneath  was  ])erfectly  dry,  and  had  probably  been  so 
for  many  ages,  as  the  basin  was  imjiervious  to  water.  We 
suppose  this  to  have  been  one  of  the  eternal  altars  spoken  of 
by  De-coo-dah,  upoti  which  the  fire  was  always  kept  bui-ning, 
and  where  the  punishment  of  death  was  occasionally  inflicted 
by  burning. 

Having  been  traditionally  informed  that  hieroglyphical  me- 
morials of  the  revolt  of  De-co-ta  the  Great  might  be  found  in 
tliObe  regions,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  and  liaving 
spent  much  time  in  search  above  this  point  without  success,  I 
crossed  the  river  to  Cassville,  with  the  intention  of  examininjr 
the  adjacent  country.  Being  informed  by  my  host  that  there 
were  niatiy  monuments  about  three  miles  below  that  villaire. 
I  immediately  repaired  to  the  place  indicated,  and  soon  dis- 
covered that  this  identical  spot  had  been*  spoken  of  by  De- 
coo-dah. 

In  the  first  group  examined  (as  seen  in  Cut  P),  I  found  the 
representation  of  an  animal  resembling  a  lion,  and  liaving 
been  previously  informed  by  De-coo-dah  that  the  royal  resi- 
dence of  the  Elk  Lion  would  be  found  below  the  junction  of 
the  Wisconsin  river,  I  commenced  a  critical  examination  of 
the  entire  group,  and  soon  discovered,  in  the  vicinity,  monu- 
mental representations  of  the  tortoise  and  alligator.  Being 
satisfied  that  this  was  one  of  the  three  residential  grot'ps  de- 
scribed by  De-coo-dah  (See  Cut  R),  I  had  immediate  recourse 
to  my  traditional  notes,  which  read  as  follows:  "This  group 


THE  SEEPENT  IN  THE  WILDEENES8. 


119 


presents  the  figure  of  an  animal  resembling  a  lion,  and  is  rep- 
resented  to  have  been  the  royal  residence  of  an  Elk  cliiof, 
who  bore,  as  his  title,  the  name  of  that  animal.  This  chief 
had  added  to  his  train  two  great  chiefs  that  had  revolted 
from  the  Black  Tortoise  nation;  and  the  four  memorial 
mounds  running  in  a  line  from  the  head  of  the  tortoise  to  the 
hind  foot  of  the  Lion,  were  constructed  in  memory  of  the  skill 
and  bravery  of  the  tortoise,  who  personally  commanded  in 
four  successful  expeditions  into  the  enemy's  country.  As  a 
result  of  these  expeditions,  five  tribes  were  added  to  his  na- 
tion by  the  Elk  chief;  these  are  memorialized  as  being  com- 
manded by  the  Alligator,  as  shown  by  the  erection  of  five 
memorial  mounds  running  in  a  line  from  the  forefoot  of  the 
lion,  to  the  head  of  the  alligator. 

The  tortoise  and  alligator  being  the  two  principal  conspira- 
tors against  the  great  black  tortoise  (the  ruling  chief  of  their 
nation),  and  afterward  subject  to  the  Elk  Lion,  are  repre- 
sented in  the  group  standing  beneath  him  ;  and  the  represen- 
tation of  a  tnmular  cross  erected  immediately  below,  records 
the  event  of  their  having  crossed  the  boundary  line  of  nations, 
and  stand  as  seals  of  their  loyalty  to  the  Elk  nation.  (This 
cross  is  shown  in  Cut  P.) 

The  main  memorials  with  which  the  Elk  Lion  is  ingrouped, 
record  him  as  victorious  in  nine  battles,  commanding  an  in- 
ferior force ;  and  the  two  memorials  standing  between  the 
three  national  embankmer.ts,  in  the  same  range,  record  his 
victories  in  two  national  pitched  battles.  The  triangular  lo- 
cation of  the  tortoise  and  alligator  with  the  lion,  shows  them 
to  have  been  meritorious  allies  in  all  those  achievements. 

The  three  national  mounds,  in  a  line  with  the  tortoise,  with 
their  three  memorials,  record  his  victories  in  three  pitched 
battles,  with  three  different  nations,  as  commander-in-chief. 
The  three  memorials  in  a  direct  line  witli  the  alligator,  bear- 
ing a  central  position  to  the  three  national  monumentals  ap- 
pended to  the  lineal  range  of  the  Elk  Lion,  record  the  AUi- 
gator's  meritorious  deserts  in  engagements  with  those  three 
Several  national  enemies. 
The  fifteen  memorials,  which  run  in  a  line  from  the  battle- 


120 


ANTIQUARIAN  EK8BAECHES. 


burial  group  of  five  large  flat  mounds,  mark  the  deposito  of 
a  portion  of  fifteen  tribes  lost  in  five  defensive  battles  fought 
at  that  place.  The  largo  memorial  north  of  the  lion  exhibits 
a  retrospect!  e  record  of  numerous  feats  of  valor  achieved  by 
the  Elk  chief  before  his  promotion ;  and  that  memorial  being 
constructed  in  the  form  of  a  residential,  shows  his  promotion 
to  have  been  based  upon  signal  services  previously  rendered. 
The  semicircular  group  of  eight  memorials  appended  to  the 
line  of  tlie  Elk  lion  diverging  from  head  and  tail  to  the  cross, 
represents  him  as  having  won  his  royal  laurels  in  eight  tri- 
umphant victories.  This  group  is  situated  about  two  miles 
south  of  Cassville,  near  the  Mississippi,  but  has  been  partially 
destroyed  by  the  ravages  of  the  plough.  About  one  mile 
south  of  this  is  another  residential  group  (Cut  P),  differently 
arranged. 

It  is  traditionally  represented  to  have  been  the  permanent 
place  of  residence  of  the  great  Red  lion  ;  who  the  same  tra- 
dition declares  to  have  been  a  man  of  blood.  This  title  mon- 
ument is  known  to  be  his  from  its  being  covered  with  red 
pebbles.  The  extent  of  his  power  is  read  in  the  twenty-two 
tribular  monuments  appended  to  his  residence.  They  are 
known  to  be  tribular  mounds  from  the  position  they  occupy 
with  respect  to  the  national  monument  to  which  they  are  ap- 
pended. 

These  twenty-two  tribes  are  memorialized  as  divided  into 
three  independent  divisions,  by  the  erection  of  the  three  na- 
tional monuments ;  they  were  commanded  by  fourteen  chiefs, 
memorialized  in  the  erection  of  their  fourteen  residentials  en- 
closed within  the  titular  moimds.  The  five  battle-burials, 
located  north  of  the  title  monuments,  record  the  repulse  of 
the  enemy  in  five  battles  fought  at  that  place,  but  are  not 
given  in  the  cut.  The  monumental  T,  or  three  fourths  of  a 
cross,  record  the  decapitation  of  two  chiefs  of  royal  descent 
at  that  place  (this  form  of  monument  universally  bears  record 
of  decapitation) ;  the  position  these  monuments  occupy,  being 
entirely  surrounded  by  tribular  memorials  in  this  group,  bears 
record  that  the  decapitated  chiefs  were  conquered  by  the 
whole  united  forces  of  the  Red  Lion. 


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EABTH-WOBK  NEAB  CASSVILLE,  WIS. 


C€T  P. 


e    «    « 


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t    ® 


EE8IDENTIAL  MOUNDS,  WIS. 


sacificial  altar    he    I'l^        '''  ''  "l''""""''  "'"national 

».  the  „.a„.  irctr "%  r.-'rr'"'  "■*• 

and  design  „f  ,|,i8  ,„  ,,.7        ,      ^  <'omj,nh,„d  ll,o  ord.r 

nial,six  fativaT  ten!  attlZf '■•''''";''''''"'■'  "'1^'"  '"■^'"■"o- 

eigl.tj  aces,  in  a"„Z!l  '  !"  ^"^  T"  ""  ■'™''  "^ »''<"" 
occurred  dn  in.  t"S,2oZ  7"-''''  "'"''°"'''  ^'""t^  "'»' 
memorial  Imvinstenetf?  "'"'■'""  "™"''"™'  ™» 
''i"g  o.-  ."lor.  fLeseninc,  fv  "'^"'""g"™«°n  of  each 
"..■o"gl.  t^elegiti^te  i^oTsixSr^  "T  "T""'' 
«;e  six  national  n,o„„„ental  effli  T ,  t""  P  "'°"  ""^ 
allare  appended  to  the  six  ™„n,„      !'  '"'"'"  """''flcial 

of  eacriflcial  eorviee  tl  IT  ,  '  'T"''  "'°  "''''"•vance 
™nt,one  dedica  ei  1  e  ?J7  """"  '»  -="  «>™"- 
testifles  to  the  universal  tdT.;  I  ,  °"'°''  '°  ""^  """O". 
tbronghon.  the  ontirl  reil;'"/:  ITe' "'"^'"•°  '""'■•""■- 
rated  in  that  record.  sovereigns  eommemcv 

t^'ttititrraCe^^;:.:"'"™'^'  ■■- "-'  '•"™ «' 

l"erosl.yphieally  mer^oiafedf ''"''"''  '"  "''  ''"  ''"■""'''» 
'»  ".on,,  sho,™  the!  o  have  .  \"^  "."  ""•■""  «PP^»^'«i 
faith  of  their  fathe!"  B„  ttll  T  '""'  '"""'''''^'  '"  *» 
Btrneted  on  either  side  of  the  »  "■•"  T"^'''"^  •"""•»  «»"- 
became  a  proseiy  e  (o  the  "i  fl  ,°'"''  '"'"''  ■■"'='"■''  *»'  l>e 
wMeh  he  «  a'dopted  Tn  't  °T'"-'  °'""  """»"  ""» 
monnmental  memorW  \Z  .  ^  '^'""""'  °'  »  """"""l 
lineage  in  that  naTo"    '     '""'  '""  '»  ''-«   been  without 

The  six  festival  mounds  >ver.  r<.i-J  •.,,-, 
nehering  in  of  these  siv  Hi.,-    ./    1    commemoration  of  the 

-atrimfnia,  mordV^e  r:™  t'd";    I,"'"^"'  ""^"*^=-    «'^ 

«tie  e.ectea  for  the  accommodation  of 


124 


ANTIQUAniAN    UE8EARCIIE8. 


these  six  families,  and  two  for  the  common  service  of  the  na- 
tion, and  stand  memorialized  as  such  within  the  matrimonial 

group. 

The  ornamental  mound  (not  seen  in  the  cut),  one  hundred 
and  sixty  poles  in  length,  and  four  in  breadth,  situated  on  the 
cast  side  of  the  group,  and  extending  its  whole  length,  ap- 
pears to  he  partly  natural,  and  partly  artificial.  It  is  cov- 
ered with  heavy  oak  trees,  while  all  the  other  embankments 
are  richly  carpeted  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  grass. 

The  pinnacle  mound,  towering  above  the  others  to  the 
height  of  eighteen  feet,  commands  a  handsome  view  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  and  the  country  adjacent. 

Tho.  ten  battle-burial  mounds  contain  the  ashes  of  the  dead. 
This  people,  being  worshippers  of  the  sun,  consumed  the 
bodies  of  the  slain  by  fire,  and  as  worshippers  of  the  moon 
also,  they  erected  two  sacrificials  at  each  place  of  residential 
offering.  They  offered  sacrifice  to  the  sun  by  day,  and  to  the 
moon  by  night. 

There  is  no  appearance  of  serpent  worship  in  this,  or  in 
any  of  the  neighboring  groups  east  of  the  Mississippi  in  this 
region,  notw.thstanding  that  the  tortoise,  and  probably  the 
alligator  chiefs  were  originally  of  that  faith;  the  alligator, 
however,  being  memorialized  as  of  regular  national  lineage, 
was,  probably,  the  offering  of  international  amalgamation. 

There  is,  however,  about  thirty  miles  north,  and  in  the  vi- 
■  cinity  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  in  the  residential  group  of  the 
Eagle,  a  small  serpent  which  is  the  oitly  one  known  to  us  in 
those  regions,  represented  in  Cut  S. 

This  group  is  traditionally  represented  to  have  been  the 
permanent  residence  of  a  king  who  bore,  as  his  title,  the  name 
of  the  Ewjle.  The  pinnacle  mound  was  the  seat  of  royal  resi- 
dence, and  his  title  mound  being  constructed  in  the  form  of 
an  eagle,  in  a  line  with  two  national  monumentals,  records 
the  reign  of  two  sons.  The  four  small  mounds  connected  by 
embankments  with  the  pinnacle  mound,  show  the  births  of 
four  sons ;  and  the  four  detached  mounds,  in  a  line  running 
south,  the  births  of  four  females,  whom  the  long  embankment 
of  national  order  records  as  having  been  offered  in  national 


THE   8KHPENT   IN   THE    WILDEBNBBS. 


125 


eacrlficc.  Tlie  four  mounds  running  noitli,  from  tlio  piunncle 
to  tlie  national  square,  were  asaifjuod  t.)  birth-day  festivals, 
and  present  indistinct  traces  of  the  fentival,  or  matrimonial 
ling.  The  national  square  is  formed  of  four  national  emlmnk- 
ments  connected  togeti.er,  which  record  the  joint  dominion 
of  the  four  sons. 

The  figure  of  an  animal,  constmcted  on  the  east  side  of  the 
national  square,  records  the  eldest  son  as  having  signalized 
himself,  and  thereby  rendered  himself  worthy  of  titular 
commemoration;  and  tiiree  small  mounds  running  west  from 
his  birlh  festival  mound,  show  the  birth  of  three  children  ; 
the  other  three  birth  festivals,  having  but  one  memorial,  re- 
cord the  birth  of  one  child  each.  The  serpentine  range  com- 
prises twenty-memorial  mounds,  commencing  within  the  angle 
formed  by  the  two  natioruil  embankments,  and  proves  the 
serpent  to  have  been  an  object  of  reverence,  or  worship,  to 
those  sovereigns ;  and  the  number  of  the  memorials  shows 
nineteen  annual  offerings  to  have  been  made  by  tiiem.  Two 
of  the  memorials  being  connected  by  an  embankment,  record 
an  offering  of  twin  children. 


126 


ANTIQUAIUAN    RK81£AUUIIiai. 


Oil  AFTER  XIV. 

NATIONAL   FK8TIVITV,  AS   nESCttlDKn  IJY  HR  000-DAH. 

ON  tlio  Littlo  Miami  river,  nbout  twcnty-fivo  miles  nortli- 
eiiRt  of  Cincirnuiti,  it)  the  Btiito  of  Ohio,  is  to  bo  seen  a 
graiul  imtional  circle,  eiiclosinj^  a  small  circle  and  central  trun- 
cated moiiud.  The  lar^e  circle  is  about  one  mile  in  circum- 
ference, with  an  embankment  about  eij;;ht  feet  wide  at  the 
bottom,  and  about  three  feet  high  at  those  places  where  it  has 
remained  a])|)arently  uninjured.  The  inner  circle  is  about 
forty  poles  in  circumference,  with  an  embankment  about  two 
feet  in  perpendicular  heipjlii;,  with  a  flat  surface,  and  twenty 
foet  in  thickness.  It  is  much  defaced,  aiid  in  some  placea 
nearly  destroyed,  by  the  uprooting  of  timber  which  formerly 
grew  upon  it.  The  central  mound,  also,  is  much  defaced  from 
the  same  cause;  but  the  small  mound, located  at  the  entrance 
of  the  outer  circle,  still  retains  its  original  form. 

This  group,  standing  at  a  considerable  distance  from  any 
other,  is  said  by  De-coodah  to  have  been  erected  for  the  pur- 
pose of  enclosing  a  plot  of  ground  which  had  been  consecrated 
by  the  prophets,  and  set  apart  by  royal  command,  for  national 
festivity.  It  belonged  exclusively  to  one  nation,  and  was 
rarely  occupied  without  the  presence  of  some  representative 
from  each  branch  of  that  nation. 

It  was  the  ancient  custom,  in  the  construction  of  a  national 
circle,  to  enclose  land  enough  to  admit  of  the  erection  within 
it  of  one  tent  for  each  family  belonging  to  the  nation.  When 
a  nation  prospered  and  increased  in  numbers  until  their  na- 
tional circle  became  too  small,  a  new  one  was  erected.  "  You 
thus,"  said  De-coo-dah,  "  can  form  some  idea  of  the  numerical 
strength  of  a  nation,  from  the  dimensions  of  its  festival  circle. 
You  will  observe  that  where  a  circle  has  been  vacated,  tho 


\m 


iH  ' 


Oct  J. 


Scale,  260 /irt  to  the  inch. 


INTEBNA'aONAL  FESTIVITY. 


TETANGTJLAE    GROUP. 


129 


pa8s-w.ay  or  place  of  entrance,  Ims  been  filled  up,  so  that  the 
outer  embankment  forms  an  unbroken  rin-  " 

De-coo-dah  then  gave  me  the  order  of  occupancy  a8  follows  • 
The  cntral  mound  was  occupied  by  great  national  func  0^1* 
nes  ;  then-  tents  were  placed  around  the  inner  circle  I  ronn^" 
.ngthecentral  mound;and  there,  oncea3.a;,rei„Z^^^^ 
was  secured  between  the  governors  and  the  govern  dS 

::zrz  ^'■"^''^"^:^'  ^'^^  -^^^-^^  -^-  cemeld'r, 

The  great  chief  occupied  the  south  centre  of  the  circle 
representmg  the  meridian  sun,  who  sends  forth  his  grea  ij 
wa  mth  at  m.d-day ;  his  council,  in  the  north,  to  represent  the 
sun  s  rays ;  the  prophets,  in  the  east,  direct  lis  rise  •  Ind  his 

— :;rcSd;;;^r::Hr°"^^"^^^"^^^^^^ 

These  feasts  not  only  served  to  strengthen  the  ties  of  friend- 
ship  and  of  national  union,  but  afforded  an  opportun  ty  for 
consultafon  about  the  occupancy  of  territory  for'th  en  uin" 
season  so  as  to  secure  to  each  band  or  tribe  a  sufficienc  of 
game  for  their  sustenance;  in  this  allotment,  large  dist  icts 
were  held  m  reserve,  to  admit  of  the  propagatiin  and  inc  aee 
of  game  for  future  supplies. 

_   The  national  circle  is  of  very  ancient  origin,  and  gradually 
increased  in  s.ze  with  the  advance  of  nations.     So  small 
Hideed,  were  some  of  them,  originally,  that  they  were  after-' 
ward  levelled  to  form  circles  of  celebration,  and  Ln  enclosed 
\Mth  a  national  circle  of  larger  dimensions. 

Still  later,  as  nations  became  more  numerous  and  more 
populous,  ^^n^.;^  festivals  were  instituted,  in  the  celebration 
of  which  two  or  more  nations  united.     These  gave  rise  to  new 
torms  of  construction  and  arrangement  of  the  festival  circles 
and  to  changes  of  order  and  ceremonies.  ' 

TRIANGULAR  GROUP. 

^  This  group  (Cut  J),  representinff  the  union  nf  fi.vne  ^ntV^ 
m  un.on  festivity,  may  be  seen  in  Iowa,  about  twenty  mVes 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  on  the  Eoot  river.    It  stands  in  a 

9 


^39 


ANTIQUAEIAN   nESKAECHES. 


grove  of  timber-trees,  partially  overgrown  by  dwarf  sbrnbs. 
The  circle  of  celebration,  in  the  centre  of  the  group,  is 
nearly  obliterated,  but  the  festival  mound  enclosed,  is  twelve 
feet  high,  and  thirty-six  feet  in  base  diameter.  The  national 
embankments  are  three,  four,  and  five  feet  in  height;  each  is 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  and  one  hundred  and  forty-four  feet  in 
length.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  combined  heights  of  the 
national  embankments  are  precisely  equal  to  the  vertical  height 
of  the  I'estival  or  central  mound;  and  these  combined  heights, 
multiplied  by  the  vertical  height  of  the  central  mound,  give 
the  exact  length  of  each  national  embankment. 

The  matrimonial  mounds,  at  each  entrance,  three  in  number, 
are  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  being  formed  of  blue  clay. 
They  are  thickly  coated  with  grass,  but,  nidike  all  the  other 
embankments,  have  no  shrubbery  on  them.  The  order  of 
occupajicy  differs  from  that  of  national  circles,  but  is  similar 
to  that  in  the  union  of  four  aations,  a  description  of  which 
follows. 


FESTIVAL   UNION   OF   FOUR   NATIONS. 

On  an  open  prairie,  near  a  small  grove,  about  twelve  miles 
east  of  Mount  Trumbull,  in  Wisconsin,  may  be  seen  a  very 
remarkable  arrangement  of  mounds  and  embankments,  repre- 
sented as  the  festival  union  group  of  four  nations.    (See  Cut  K.) 

The  festival,  or  centra^  mound,  with  the  circle  of  celebration 
whichencluses  it,  was  composed  of  clay,  which  could  not  have 
been  procured  in  the  vicinity  ;  but  the  Yong  embankments  are 
composed  of  earth  similar  to  that  of  the  immediate  vicinity. 
The  matrimonial  mounds  are  composed  of  blue  and  white  sand. 

Tiie  national,  or  long  embankments,  of  unequal  height,  indi- 
cate the  comparative  strength  and  importance  of  the  rations 
to  which  they* severally  belonged. 

The  central  mound  towers  up  to  a  height  equal  to  the  com- 
bined heights  of  the  four  national  embankments,  one  being 
three,  and  another  four,  and  the  other  two  five  feet  each, 
makinor  in  all  seventeen  feet,  the  precise  vertical  height  of  the 
central  mound. 


HI  I 


m  i! 


13 


glVO 


Cut  K. 


e 


Q 


INTKUNATIONAI.  FESTIVITY. 


mn 


FESTIVAL   UNION  OF   FOUR   NATIONS. 


133 


The  circle  of  celebration  that  suitouikIs  it,  has  a  slight  ele- 
vation,  compared  with  the  other  embankments.  Its  embank- 
ment is  seventeen  feet  broad,  and  perfectly  flat  and  level  on 
the  surface.  Tiie  space  between  the  central  mound  and  the 
circle  of  celebration  is  thirty-four  feet,  being  exactly  equal  to 
the  width  of  the  circle  and  the  vertical  height  of  the  festival 
or  central  mound. 

After  taking  the  exact  measurement  of  tiiese  several  parts, 
I  could  but  admire  the  nice  precision  of  arrangement  observed 
in  the  construction  of  these  apparently  simple  monuments. 
But  the  simplicity  of  occupancy,  as  narrated  by  De-coo-dah, 
was  not  only  probable,  but  highly  amusing. 

After  having  given  me  a  draft  of  the  embankments,  he 
undertook  to  draw  upon  the  ice  for  me,  a  representation  of 
the  mode  and  order  of  their  occupancy.  He  stated  that  the 
great  body  of  each  nation  occupied,  in  rows  of  tents,  the  out- 
side of  its  proper  national  embankment.  Each  row  contained 
the  same  number  of  tents,  so  arranged  that  four  of  these  rows 
sufficed  to  fill  the  circle  of  celebration,  and  thus  all  might 
enjoy  the  dance  in  regular  rotation. 

The  chiefs  and  prophets  of  each  nation,  were  located  within 
the  embankments,  and  between  them  and  the  circle  of  cele- 
bration. Tliey  occupied,  during  the  dance,  the  space  between 
the  circle  of  celebration  and  the  central  mound,  the  elder  chief 
of  each  nation  occupying  the  summits  of  the  central  mound, 
to  give  signals  of  order. 

The  chiefs  and  prophets  who  were  within  the  circle,  would 
sometimes  give  place  to  the  aged,  and  take  their  places  in  the 
circle,  to  join  in  the  dance  with  the  younger  men. 


lU 


ANTIQUARIAN   BESEARCHE8. 


iri 


err  AFTER  xy. 

or.Lii;:^!iATiON  of  thk' union  festival* 

/'\NCE  a  jc'ii,  tlio  nations  met  togetlior.  Before  the  de- 
yj  paiture  of  eacli  from  its  own  tcriitorj,  bands  of  liuntcrs 
were  designated  to  procure  supplies  for  the  coming  festival, 
and  these,  at  an  appointed  time,  all  went  forth  in  ecarcli  of 
game.  The  rest  of  the  hunters,  together  with  the  old  and 
young  of  their  nation,  sot  out  in  detached  parties,  and  took 
up  their  line  of  march  for  the  place  of  meeting,  providing  sup- 
plies for  themselves  by  the  waj. 

The  festival  was  held  at  an  appointed  full-moon.  The  time 
of  begmnmg  the  journej,  was  determined  by  the  distance 
each  nation  had  to  travel.  On  their  arrival  at  the  place  of 
meeting,  they  pitched  their  tents  on  the  outside  of  their  re- 
spective national  embankments,  and  new  tents  were  erected 
at  each  annual  festival,  [rt  appears  to  have  been  a  custom 
with  the  ancient  Americans,  yet  observed  by  the  Indians  of 
modern  times,  never  to  occupy  the  same  wigwam  a  second 
time.  A  superstition  is  universally  prevalent  among  the  north- 
western Indians  that  live  in  tents,  that  when  a  place  of  abode 
lias  been  deserted,  an  evil  spirit  enters  Knd  dwells  there.] 

When  the  bands  of  (lie  festival  hunters  had  all  arrived,  the 
oldest  chief  of  the  nations  ascended  the  central  mound,  and 
sang  a  song  of  union.  The  four  nations  joined  in  the  chorus 
each  in  its  own  language.  The  clash  of  voices,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  all  harmony  in  this  wild  song,  with  its  returnino- 
echoes,  struck  the  ear  in  a  confusion  of  harsh  sounds,  that 
seemed  almost  to  make  the  trees  of  the  forest  shake. 

Tiien  began  the  preparations  for  the  feast.     When  the  game 
had  been  cooked,  and  nil  had  eaten  cnffieicntly,  the  oldest 

*  Traditional. 


OBr.KBBATIOH   Op   TnU   BKION   FB8TIVAI,.  IJg 

Chief  Of  each  nation,  accompanied  by  tl,c  p,„p|,e„,  repaired 
o      0  „„K,n  mound.     Tl.o  aged  a„d  infinn,  'will,  'JJ^ 

caled  at  tl,o  f„,„-  places  of  entrance.    TI.eso  prepamtory 

occapy  I  ,e  f,,-,   ,.„„.s,  or  l,ne  of  tents,  dividing  i„  tl,o  centre 

r.gl.t  and  left  to  toe  place  of  entrance,  wl.ere  tl,ev  promhj. 
m«lyn„,to  1,3.  j„i„i„g  ,,„„<,,,  „„<1  ,,„,  ,„  donUc  lie  tTthl 
ma.r„n,„„al  monnd..  There  tl.ey  separate,  and  „,^rclnng 
n.-onnd,  n.oet  on  the  opposite  «ido,  «here  hey  agai  ote 
l""Kls,  and  nmrch  to  the  circle  of  celebration.  TlL"  1^ 
arrange  then.seve,  in  order  for  the  dance  nntil  th  cM  Is 
full,  when  the  dance  begins. 

After  the  circle  is  full;  the  residue  of  tl,e  nations  take  their 
cats  ,.ro,n,seuonsly  „n  the  nation.al  cnbankments,  to  elm 
ans  and  make  .nelody  for  the  ring.    Thoold  ,nen,old  women 
and  c  ddren,  having  previously  assembled  at  the  natrinrn  al 
mounds,  „„,„,e  themselves  with  the  appearance  of  the  une^  a 
pans  as  they  pass  along;  th.at  ineiuality  constituting  one  of  the 
ch.ef  sources  of  festival  amnseu.ent.    To  see  a.^^d  mothe™ 
escorted  to  the  dance  by  bashful  stripling.;  the^,  iZ  yed 
manen  by  t  e  .  d  and  white-haired  chiefs    here  t^vo  mile, 
.  unt,  g  each  other  with  effen.inacy,  and  there  two  females 
ach  c  ann.ng  li.r  he,.„lf  the  honor  of  manhood,  leading  each 
othe,.  ,0  the  „,erry  circle,  gave  occasion  for  many  rnde  jests 
All,  however  passed  off  in  go„d-hnn,or;   for  to  have  been 
angry  on  such  an  occasion,  wonhl  bo  the  highest  breach  of 
politeness  known  to  the  ancient  American 

The  first  dance  being  concluded,  the  ring  w.as  v,  oated  for 
he  reception  of  another  circle  of  occupants:  the  same  o'de 
of  p.omiscuons  minglmg  being  observed  throughout  the  first 
hree    ay,;  but  on  the  morning  of  the  fourth,those  intending 
to  nnite  m  matrimony,  arranged  themselves  in  the  line  of 
march  so  as  o  meet  at  the  entrance,  joined  hands,  and  passed 
tie  matrimomal  monnd  together.    Tliis  was  considered  a  pnb 
c  declaration  of  marri.ngc  contract.    Then  thevdance  toget^ie 
they  feast  together,  and,  the  matrimonial  mound  being  vacated 


186 


ANTIQUARIAN   RE8KAKCIIK8. 


H 


1    I 


at  evoninfj,  tlicy  run  tlio  nmniago  nice,  wliilo  all  the  nations 
assomhliid  within  and  upon  tlu;  nutioiial  nioiinda,  circles  of 
celchratioii,  aiid  central  mound,  unito  in  singing  nuptial  clianta 
and  songs  of  rejoicing. 

The  groups  wliicli  have  been  particularly  described  (Cuts  J 
and  K),  wore  constructed  ^ov  international  festivities  only ;  but 
soniotimos  they  were  so  arranged  as  to  permit  of  their  occasional 
occupancy  by  a  single  nation  of  tlie  union.  In  works  of  the 
latter  description,  the  distance  between  the  extremities  of  tho 
several  embanlcnients,  was  equal  to  the  entire  length  of  each. 
When  a  feast  was  held  by  a  single  nation,  their  tents  were 
erected  in  a  circle  outside  of  their  national  embankment, 
around  the  tent  of  the  oldest  chief  or  prophet,  located  in  the 
centre  of  tlie  residential  circle,  around  which  they  danced. 

Single  mounds  were  sometimes  constructed  by  single  bands 
or  tribes,  for  ordinary  feasting.  These  were  sometimes  cir- 
cular, sometimes  long,  according  to  the  taste  or  national  custom 
of  the  builders.  Those  of  cii'cular  form  were  surrounded  by 
the  circle  of  celebration  ;  but  this  kind  of  festival  monuments 
were  not  entitled  to  matrimonial  altars. 

At  these  festivals,  an  abundance  of  food  was  provided, 
including  all  the  dainties  of  tho  forest;  nothing  was  nsed 
sparingly  or  with  grrtdging  hand,  but  band  vied  with  band,  and 
nation  willi  nation,  in  the  bounteousness  and  variety  of  tho 
preparation. 

In  describing  the  mode  of  construction  of  these  national 
circles,  and  explaining  their  arrangomcnt,  De-coodah  re- 
marked (as  he  had  done  beforr ),  how,  mucli  the  M'hlte  man 
had  been  mistaken  in  supposii  g  them  to  have  been  erected 
for  warlike  purposes  or  for  national  defences.  "The  tradi- 
tions of  my  fathers,"  said  he,  "show  them,  to  have  been  only 
the  scenes  of  mirth  and  festivity.  At  a  given  time  the  nation 
provided  with  a  supply  of  provision  sufficient  for  several 
days,  repaired  to  the  circle  (which  had  been  already  marked 
ont  by  setting  stakes),  and  erected  their  tents  within  it.  Tho 
great  chief  stood  in  the  centre,  and  each  member  of  the  na- 
tion brought  thither  a  basket  of  earth  and  spread  it  around, 
to  form  the  base  of  the  central  mound  ;  this  done,  he  was  sur- 


1 4 


CELKBEATION   OF  THE   UNION    FESTIVAL. 


187 


rounded  by  subordinate  chiefH,  warriors,  and  Imntcrs,  to  wait 
the  orders  of  their  great  licad.  lie  next  selected  the  leaders 
of  the  hunting-parties;  these  gathered  their  respective  bands, 
and  then  rei)aired  to  the  i)r(.i.het  for  advice  and  direction; 
they  were  ordered  to  return  within  a  given  number  of  days' 
and  each  hunter  was  accompanied  by  a  nimble-footed  squaw,' 
to  dress  and  bring  back  the  game.  They  departed  in  the 
midst  of  tho  joyful  shcuts  of  the  whole  nation.  During  the 
absence  of  these  liuuting  i)arties,  tho  time  was  occupied  bv 
the  resi.lue  of  tho  nation  in  gathering  earth  and  placing  \t 
around  tho  circle  to  form  tho  wall;  the  children  meanwhile 
bemg  employed,  under  the  direction  of  the  aged,  in  constructs 
mg  the  nuitrimonial  mounds.  Thus  tho  embankment  re- 
ceived annually  an  addition  to  its  materials,  until  it  eventa- 
ally  became  a  towering  wall. 

On  tho  day  appointed  for  the  return  of  the  hunters  a 
general  fast  was  observed  by  all,  and  fuel  was  gathered'  to 
supply  the  lircs  for  cooking  the  feame,  and  for  giving  light  to 
the  circle. 

At  the  setting  of  the  sun,  the  hunters  returned,  and  were 
greeted  with  joyful  acclamations.  Then  tho  feast  M'as.speedi- 
ly  made  ready,  and  all  ato  until  they  were  satisfied  The 
dance  followed.  Feasting  and  dancing  were  continued  at  in- 
tervals, until  all  the  provisions  were  consumed.  Then  the 
great  chief,  marched  at  the  head  of  tho  nation  around  the 
summit  of  the  embankment,  to  render  its  wall  firmer  and 
more  compact,  and  afterward  led  the  way  to  the  entrance 
There  ho  ascended  the  mound  of  public  address,  and  pro- 
claimed to  each  band,  as  it  left  the  circle,  its  location  and 
territorial  limits  for  the  coming  year. 


'i 


/  I 


188 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESKAR0UE8. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


PRIMITIVR   DKP08ITE8. 


I  i 


TyilEN  we  treat  of  primitive  deposites,  wo  mean  those  de- 
»  »  posited  at  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  monument; 
as  there  are  also  many  deposites  found  in  monnds  that  have 
evidently  been  placed  there  within  the  last  century,  such  wo 
term  recent  deposites ;  some  of  those  were  probably  made  by 
the  first  pioneers  of  civilization,  and  some  by  Indians  of  mod- 
ern times.  We  are  not  aware,  however,  that  tribes  of  the 
pure  Indian  race  ever  practised,  to  any  considerable  extent, 
the  custom  of  tumular  deposites. 

Human  bones,  pipes,  beads,  and  other  ornamental  trinkets, 
common  to  Indian  tribes  of  various  national  origin  are  some- 
times found,  not  only  in  burial  monnds,  but  in  other  embank- 
ments not  originally  designed  for  burial  purposes;  and  it  is 
now  becoming  more  common  than  formerly,  for  Indians  of 
various  tribes  along  our  frontier  lines  to  deposite  their  dead 
m  monnds,  believing  that  white  men  view  these  with  some 
degree  of  reverence. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  in  the  critical  examination  of 
more  than  four  hundred  embankments  by  excavation  and  re- 
moval,  I  have  universally  found  the  primitive  deposite,  when 
such  existed,  to  bo  placed  either  on  or  below  the  natural  sur- 
face of  the  earth  upon  which  the  monnd  was  originally  erect- 
ed ;  while  recent  deposites  are  usually  found  near  the  sur- 
face of  the  mound  or  embankment,  particularly  where  the 
embankments  are  large. 

^  The  want  of  knowledge  necessary  for  a  correct  discrimina- 
tion between  primitive  and  recent  deposites,  may  frequently 
lead  the  antiquarian  astray  in  forming  correct  conclusions 
relative  to  the  original  design  of  the  monument 


\ 


PRIMITIVB   DEP08ITEB. 


139 


Well-mado  onrthen-vessols  are  «omctlmefl  found  deposited 
m  the  ame  mound  with  other  articles,  which  arc  evide  t  y 
ofs.mpeandBavage  origin,  and  evincing  no  indications  of 

found  no  pn„ntivo  depositee  of  «„y  article  what  iTwZ 
recent  deposite,  are  not  nneommon  •  and  even  ZZ 
.ition  of  .„j™,, natter  is  so  eomp,ot'e::,l:\:  'IZTZ 
.goof  flesi,  or  bone  is  rarely  perceivable;  the  only  . Tale  „f 
tl  0  depos, te  w  ,.cl,  rcMnuins,  i»  seen  in  a  .l,in  stratn, ,  of  ear* 
of  different  color  and  te.tnre,  from  that  which  surround  T 
Where  the  mound  is  composed  of  sand  (which  is  freZ', W 
fhe  case  along  the  shores  of  rive,,  and  lakes),  those  stra"f 

seS'";  T"  "r"  ™™  ^"""'^'  "-'"^--oquenH;;™- 

sentmg  the  forms  of  men  varying  in  stature  from  five  to 
seven    and  sometimes  eight  feet  in  height,  someLeldl 
pes,  ed  s,ngy,  and  sometime,  in  a  circle  with  th  iri  eada 
pom  tag  0  he  centre.    But  in  recent  deposites  whe,e  bone 
are  found  they  are  usually  deposited  without  respec    to  a^ 
particular  order  of  arrangement  ^ 

In  mounds  traditionally  represented  as  containing  ,ho 
ashes  of  prophets,  we  have  on  examination  invariably  dfscov 
ered  more  or  les.  mica,  a  deposite  not  found  in  any  Z; 
order  0  monument,  except  such  as  are  traditi»all7r  "  J 
rented  to  have  been  oracular  or  sacrificial.  The  oraculu- 
mo.rad  (winch  is  traditionally  known  as  such,  by  its  "da  i™ 
p«,t,on  ,n  the  group  of  which  it  forms  a  p'arf),  f  e'en  ! 
contams  large  quantities  of  mica.  This  favo,.  the  conl  e  „ 
a  ready  advanced,  that  mica  was  an  article  exelnsivTer 

0   fbyThelS'T';""-  ,  ^""^"""^^  '"^  P'*"""  '-  -de 
of  -t  by  the  prophets,  we  have  already  ventured  a  suggestion. 


i:,  I 


1 

>'  1 

li' 

,1 

',)l 

1. 

IIJ 

1 

lli 

1 

1 
1 

140 


AirnquABiAN  resraroiies. 


CriAPTER  XVII. 

VISIT  TO   TIIK   ANCIKNT   MICTUOl'OLia. 

VTEAK  llio  junction  with  tlio  Mississijipi  of  a  small  stream 
-*-^    called  the  IJad-Axo,  in  the  etiito  of  WisconHin,  lliero  is  a 
complicated  groii[)  of  eartii-woiks   occn})jiiijr  a  surface  of 
nearly  forty  acres.     (Tliia   re^i<»n   is  more   particularly  de- 
Bcrihed  in  another  ]myl  of  tliia  volunio.)     I  roHolvcd  to  re-visit 
the  place  in  contpaiiy  with  my  old  friend  Do  coo  dah,  for  the 
purpose  of  ascertaining  from  him,  as  accurately  as  possible, 
the  traditional  origin  and  use  of  the  earth-work.    ]?eing  at  this 
time  located  at  the  distatico  of  two  days'  tiuvel  fiom  the  ])laco 
I  freighted  a  canoe  with  provisions,  cami)ing  equipage,  &c. 
and  set  out  on  our  j(mrney.     At  evening  we  stopped   with 
Bomo  Frenchmen  who  had  commenced  a  snuill  settlement  on 
the  eastern  shore  of  the  Mississippi;  (jiey  had  Indian  wives 
whom  they  seemed  to  regard  almost  as  slaves,  for  they  treated 
tliem  harshly,  beating  them  cruelly  for  trivial  offences.     I  re- 
monstrated with  them  upon  the  impro])riety  of  such  treat- 
ment; but  they  took  the  matter  veiy  lightly,  and  appeared 
to  be  much  amused  with  what  they  t'jrmed  my  ignorance  of 
the  Indian  character,  arguing  that  physical  force  was  the 
only  means  of  securing  obedience  and  subjection.     I  had  al- 
ready discovered  that  this  was  tiio  only  means  resorted  to  in 
the  Winnebago    nation,   with   a   few   lionorable   exceptions 
among  the  aged  whose  habits  had  been  formed  previous  to 
their  association  with  wliito  men ;  these  scarcely  ever  made 
use  of  the  rod,  even  with  their  children. 

Notwithstanding  the  persevering  efforts  of  pious  mission- 
aries to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  Winnebagoes,  they 
are  daily  sinking  deeper  and  deeper  in  degradation?  Drunk- 
enness, theft,  and  almnQt  nvery  p.pccics  of  debauchery,  are  oa 


VTBIT  TO  TIIK   ANCIKNT   MlCTUOrOMB. 


141 


tlio  inoronHo.  Yot  now  nnd  tlion  wo  discnvor  among  tlicm 
somo  of  tho  noblor  traits  o(  their  original  clmractor.  These 
bocorno  lens  rare  as  wo  rccedo  from  tho  lino  of  the  frontier 
Bottlo.ncnts.  Tho  moro  remoto  from  tho  whito  man,  tho  more 
virtuous  and  tho  more  honornl.lo  is  tho  Indian,  with  moro  of 
kindly  focdin-,  Jobs  of  vico.  This  may  in  part  bo  accounted 
f.)r  in  tho  fact  that  most  of  those  with  whom  they  aro  brought 
int..  intercourse  in  tho  whito  settlements,  aro"  of  degraded 
character  and  Inv  morals,  who  set  before  tliem  both  tho  cx- 
om|»lo  of,  and  tcinptiitions  to  vice,  over-reaching  them  in 
trade,  defrauding  tliem  of  their  money,  fur,  and  blankets. 
T..C  indian,  wanting  in  proper  discrinnnation,  learns  to  look 
upon  all  whito  men  with  suspicion ;  and  not  even  tho  mis- 
sionary, Ijowevor  devoted  to  his  work,  can  bopo  to  exert  a 
salutary  influence  among  them,  until  by  a  long  residence  in 
their  midst,  ai\d  un  imdcviating  coin-so  of  honesty  and  kind 
treatment,  he  has  removed  their  prejudices  against  bis  color 
and  race. 

Having  satisfied  myself  respecting  the  motives  and  cbarac- 
ter  of  my  boats,  I  continued  my  journey  with  De-coo-dab  to- 
ward the  grouj)  of  mounds  T  proposed  to  visit.  We  entered 
the  Bad-Axe  river  at  its  mouth,  and  proceeding  up  its  stream 
about  a  mile  and  a  quarter,  Veared  our  tent  on  the  north  side 
near  a  cold  spring  of  pure  mountain  water;  wo  prepared  our 
supper,  passed  tho  pipe  of  friendship,  and  retired  to  rest. 

The  next  morning,  we  visited  tbe  metropolis.  We  entered 
the  east  corner  of  tbe  group  (see  Cut),  and  passed  tbrongb  to 
tlio  west  corner.  At  the  base  of  this  mound  itiy  conductor 
stopped  suddenly,  and  placing  his  right  band  on  bis  beart,  and 
bis  left  on  bis  forebead,  muttered,  inaudil.ly,  a  8iu,it  sentence, 
with  his  face  westward.  He  then  faced  the  soutb,  and  raised 
bis  bands  toward  Heaven ;  tben  proceeded  in  a  southeast 
direction,  witb  uplifted  bands,  until  wo  arrived  at  a  mound  of 
similar  size  and  form  to  tbe  one  we  first  visited,  where  lie 
again  stopped,  as  tbougb  be  hesitated  to  go  further.  But  in 
a  few  moments  be  proceeded  around  to  the  soutb  side,  and 
stopped  again;  tben  proceeded  to  th<j  east  side  and  stopped 
again ;  then  moved  slowly  to  the  north  side,  and  standing 


142 


ANTIQTJAKIAN   RESEAECHEB. 


erect,  facing  the  south,  with  uplifted  hands,  he  uttered  a  short 
sentence,  audibly,  but  in  a  language  unknown  to  me,  «  Alia 
Sha-lah,  lu-lah  ;  Alia  Sha-lah,  me-nah,"  which  being  afterward 
interpreted,  means  in  the  ancient  Elk  language,  "  Great  Spirit 
save  the  king;  Great  Spirit,  save  the  people."    He  tlien  as- 
cended to  the  summit,  uttered  a  shrill  war-whoop,  and,  with  a 
quick  step,  as  though  he  were  in  pursuit  of  a  flying  enemy  pro- 
ceeded in  a  northeast  direction,  until  we  arrived  at  the  i.lace 
of  entrance.    Here  he  unhesitatingly  ascended  the  mound 
and  seating  himself  on  the  summit,  leaned  his  head  on  his  nVht 
Land,  and,  for  a  short  time,  seemed  to  be  engaged  in  silent 
prayer ;  then  resting  upon  his  left  hand,  with  his  eyes  inclined 
to  the  south,  he  continued  to  sit  in  silence  some  four  or  five 
minutes,  when  he  suddenly  sprang  up  with  all  the  vio-or  of 
youth,  and,  at  one  bound,  nearly  reached  the  base,  a  distance 
of  twelve  and  a  half  feet ;  then,  proceeding  in  a  northwest  di- 
rection he  sung  a  songof  mourning,  until  we  arrived  at  a  mound 
ot  similar  size  with  the  three  we  had  previously  visited     This 
too,  he  ascended,  and  stood  erect  on  the  summit,  facing  the 
centre  of  the  group     Here  he  sung  a  song  of  rejoicina.''and 
at  Its  conclusion,  beckoned  me  to  follow  him.    Then  he  ran  at 
full  speed  to  the  centre  of  the  group,  and  ascending  a  large 
mound,  began  to  sing  and  dance  ;  at  which  he  continued  until 
quite  exhausted  with  exercise,  he  fell  on  his  face  and  lay  mo' 
t.onless.     When  he  had  rested  himself  he  arose,  drew  his 
bhmket  close  around  him,  and  started  for  our  wigwam  and 
not  a  wm-d  was  uttered  bet^veen  us  until  after  our  arrival  there 
rassing  his  pipe  to  me,  ho  thus  addressed  me  — "Brother* 
I  am  very  old,  and  must  soon  depart  to  the  home  of  my  fathers  • 
I  long  to  be  with  them;  I  have  no  pleasure  here;  I  have  seen 
the  end  ot  four  nations,  and,  should  I  live  much  longer,  T  shall 
have  to  mourn  the  fall  of  a  fifth  ;  a  few  more  moons,  and  the 
once  powerful  Winnebago  nation  will  have  passed  away 
They  were  once  strong,  they  are  now  weak ;  they  were  sober 
and  mdustrious,  they  are  now  drunken  and  lazy  ;  tiny  were 
wise  and  honest,  now  they  are  foolish  and  roguish  ;  they  have 
lost   heir  traditions,  and  know  nothing  of  their  fathers  ;  they 
revel  m  holy  places,  and  the  Great  Spirit  has  forsaken  them  ; 


VISIT   TO  THE   ANCIENT   METROPOLIS. 


143 


they  have  no  pleasure  in  those  mounds  tliat  were  erected  with 
much  care  and  labor.  The  red-man  now  knows  little  about 
them  ;  the  white-man  cares  not  for  them.  You,  only,  ask  of 
me  who  made  them,  and  for  what  were  they  made  ?  As  they 
have  not  been  used  in  my  time,  I  can  tell  you  but  little  about 
them  :  I  can  only  give  the  tradition  that  I  received  when  young. 

»  The  face  of  the  earth  is  the  red-man's  book,  and  those 
mounds  and  embankments  are  some  of  his  letters  :  I  am  but  a 
poor  scholar,  but  I  will  try  to  read  for  yon  as  well  as  I  can  the 
letters  we  have  been  viewing  to  day.  You  are  aware  that 
when  the  white-man  reads,  he  begins  at  the  edge  of  his  book ; 
wlicn  you  read  the  red-man's  book,  begin  in  the  centre. 

"You  observe  in  the  centre  of  this  group,  a  large  mound 
with  no  small  mound  near  it;  this  once  stood  in  the  centre  of 
an  ancient  city,  the  home  of  a  great  king.    The  space  between 
it  and  the  smaller  mounds,  was  once  covered  with  wigwams 
Tiiis  central  monument  was  called  the  king's  tower,  and  was 
daily  used  as  a  place  of  look-out.    The  smaller  mounds  with 
the  exception  of  the  four  that  vve  first  visited,  are  national 
memorials ;  the  inner  circle  memorializes  the  race  of  legiti- 
mate sovereigns,  ancestors  of  the  founder  of  this  metropolis- 
the  second  circle  memorializes,  numerically,  the  great  chiefs 
that  signalized  themselves  during  the  reign  of  those  sover- 
eigns; and  the  outer  circles  give  the  number  of  loyal  tribes 
under  the  control  of  the  founder  of  the  metropolis  at  the 
tune  of  Its  erection,  each  tribe  constructfng  its  own  monument 
Thus  you  read  in  these  letters  the  rise  and  progress  of  a  great 
nation  under  the  sovereignty  of  twelve  kings,  sustained  by  six- 
teen great  war-chiefs,  command ing  forty-four  tribes.    The  four 
residentials,  or  largo  mounds,  that  surround  the  inner  circles 
were  occupied  by  dignitaries  in  power  during  the  primitive' 
occupancy  of  the  metropolJi-.    The  north  residential  was  oc- 
cupied by  the  king,  the  soutli  by  the  commanding  war-chief», 
the  eastern  by  the  prince  entitled  to  succession,  and  the  westftm' 
by  the  holy  prophet. 

"The  monument  firat  noticed  on  the  west  side,  was  the 
prophet's  tower.  You  perceived  that  I  did  not  set  my  foot 
upon  It,  altiiough  I  am  the  legitimate  son  of  a  propiict.    During 


144 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCnKS. 


the  primitivo  occupancy  of  that  tower,  no  foot  of  man  or 
woman,  save  that  of  a  prophet,  ever  pressed  that  sod,  wliich 
was  set  apart  for  prophetical  service.  Tlie  propliet  tliere  re- 
ceived and  delivered  oracles  at  the  appearance  of  each  new 
moo!i,  and  the  four  small  mounds  that  sm-roiind  it,  were  occu- 
pied hy  those  in  attendance  to  hear  liim.  These,  also,  were 
considered  holy  places,  and  it  grieves  me  to  see  them  polluted 
by  utiholy  footsteps. 

"The  second,  or  southern  mound,  was  the  tower  of  war, 
and  was  occupied  only  by  valiant  chiefs,  whose  feats  of  valor 
had  secured  for  them  the  favor  of  the  king,  and  the  four  small 
mounds  about  it,  were  occupied  by  younger  or  untried  chiefs 
of  different  grades.  Those  mounds  were  dedicated,  in  time 
of  war,  to  councils.  All  war-parties  assembled  there  previous 
to  their  departure,  to  be  addressed  by  their  sovereign  in  per- 
son, and  to  declare  their  loyalty  and  their  determination  to 
conquer  their  enemies  or  die  in  battle.  The  king  then  sounded 
the  war-shont,  and  taking  his  leave  of  them,  retired  to  his 
tower,  amid  the  shouts  of  the  people. 

"  During  those  ceremonies,  the  great  prophet  was  engaged 
on  the  west  mound,  invoking  the  favor  of  the  Great  Spirit. 
The  sqnaws  occupied  the  small  mounds  about  him,  to  sing  of 
the  feats  of  valor  performed  by  the  nation  in  former  days. 
The  prophet,  after  invoking  the  Great  Spirit  in  favor  of  the 
king  and  nation,  utters  the  sigTial  for  attack,  which  is  echoed 
by  the  squaws  and  answered  by  the  warriors,  who  then  take 
up  the  line  of  march,  and  go  out  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy, 

"  The  king,  prophets,  old  men,  hijnters,  and  squaws,  then 
assemble  at  the  eastern  mound  of  dedication :  the  king,  on  the 
summit,  surrounded  by  the  prophets,  the  old  mer>  seat  them- 
selves around  the  base,  and  the  wives  of  the  absent  warriore 
occupy  the  smaller  mounds,  surrounded  by  the  hunters.  When 
all  are  in  order,  the  oldest  prophet  gives  thanks  for  past  vic- 
tories, and  receives  such  offerings  as  are  presented  to  be  sacri- 
ficed at  the  next  new  moon.  The  great  pipe  of  friendship 
being  filled  by  the  elder  prophet  with  the  dried  leaves  of 
evergreens,  was  handed  to  the  king,  and  kindled  from  the 
sacred-fire:  he  smokes  first  himself,  then  passes  it  to  the 


VISrr  TO  THE  ANOIBNT  METEOPOLIS. 


w 


prophets,  wlio,  in  their  turn,  pass  it  to  the  old  men,  who  smoke 
together;  the  hunters  continue  smoking  through  the  whole 
ceremony,  at  the  close  of  which  all  unite  in  a  song  of  victory, 
and  retire  to  their  tents. 

"  The  north  mound  was  called  the  royal  council  tower,  and 
was  used  previous  to  engaging  in  war  with  any  nation.  The 
councils  held  tiiere  were  attended  only  by  the  king,  prophets, 
head  chiefs  of  bands,  and  orators,  or  chief  councillors.  The 
tower  was  occupied  by  the  king,  seated  in  the  centre,  on  the 
summit,  surrounded  by  great  war-councillors  and  prophets,  the 
orators  occupying  the  small  mounds.  Tlje  council-chiefs  firet 
addressed  the  sovereign  relative  to  the  grievances  of  the  na- 
tion ;  the  oratoi-s  then  speak  in  turn,  until  all  have  spoken. 
The  orators  and  councillors  then  retire,  and  the  king,  in  pri- 
vate, takes  counsel  with  the  prophets,  and  pronounces  his  de- 
cree, wiiich  is  by  the  oldest  prophet  communicated  to  the 
people,  from  the  summit  of  the  central  mound,  or  king's  tower. 
During  the  sitting  of  this  council,  the  whole  city  was  wrapped 
in  silence. 

"All  \var-parties  returned  to  the  city  by  way  of  the  royal 
council  tower.  Previous  to  entering,  the  commanding  chief 
ascended  the  tower  to  announce  victory  or  defeat.  At  a  given 
signal,  the  prophets  repaired  to  the  tower  to  receive  the  news, 
then  they  immediately  retired  to  the  king's  tower,  around 
which  the  people  assembled,  and  the  eldest  prophet  proclaim- 
ed  the  tidings.  In  the  meantime,  the  king  repaired  to  the 
council  tower,  and,  standing  erect  thereon,  saluted  tho  warriors 
as  they  entered.  If  prisoners  had  been  taken,  they  were  con- 
ducted to  the  king's  tower,  to  witness  the  triumphal  war-dance 
of  their  captors,  after  which  they  were  placed  under  guard  to 
await  their  destiny.  Each  succeeding  new-moon  one  was 
offered  in  sacrifice,  unless  they  were  satisfactorily  redeemed. 
"  If  the  warrioi-s  had  been  successful,  and  taken  much  plun^ 
der,  feasts  and  war-dances  were  kept  up  for  many  days." 

Here  De-coo-dah  paused,  and  sat  in  silent  reflection  ;  for  a 
long  time,  he  appeared  unusually  solemn.  I  saw  that  the  old 
man  was  much  agitated  throughout  this  interview ;  tears  flowed 
copiously  down  his  furrowed  cheeks ;  but  after  nassin^r  tl.A 

10  '         °~" 


146 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEAECHK8. 


pipe  of  friendship,  lie  became  more  composed,  and  very  soon 
he  very  affectionately  addressed  me,  as  follows :  — 

"  Brother,  I  am  very  old,  and  must  soon  sleep  with  the  dead ; 
I  shall  be  remembered  no  more  ;  I  have  no  son  to  perpetuate 
my  memory,  or  transmit  to  posterity  these  lingering  relics  of 
ancient  tradition.  Tne  Winnel)ago  listens  to  them  as  idle  tales, 
the  Chippewa  recer/es  them  as  fictions,  and  the  3'outhful 
Sioux  langhs  them  to  scorn.  Brother,  you  have  noui-ished  me 
as  a  declining  father,  shall  I  now  adopt  you  as  a  faithful  son?" 
I  gave  him  my  hand,  he  grasped  it  affectionately,  and  ex- 
claimed, "  My  son  !  my  white  son !"  and  he  added,  "  I  have 
never  intrusted  any  white-man  with  the  traditions  I  have  made 
known  to  you,  will  you  receive  them  as  truth  ?"  When  I  had 
answered  he  resumed,  "  Receive  them  freely,  and  keep  them 
sacred  until  I  am  gone,  then  tell  them  to  the  red-man,  proclaim 
them  to  the  white-man,  and  I  shall  sleep  in  peace !"  He 
paused  a  few  minutes,  apparently  absorbed  in  reflection,  then 
continued  — "  You  have  treated  me  with  kindness,  without 
hope  of  reward;  I  have  nothing  to  lea\o  in  return,  that  will 
awaken  in  your  remembrance  our  mutual  friendship,  save  these 
traditions.  Since  you  appear  to  be  interested  in  them*,  I  shall 
hereafter  take  pleasure  in  making  known  to  you  whatever  of 
them  I  may  clearly  recollect.  "When  you  return  to  your  friends, 
knowing  that  I  am  no  more,  they  will  furnish  a  theme  of  con- 
versation interesting  to  your  children  ;  and  when  you  or  they 
look  upon  any  of  those  ancient  monuments,  you  will  bear  in 
remembrance  the  existence  of  old  De  coo-dah."  We  then  again 
passed  the  pipe  of  friendship,  struck  our  tent,  and  returned. 
He  assumed  a  more  cheerful  countenance,  and  ever  after 
familiarly  addressed  me  as  a  confidential  son. 

The  idea  of  total  annihilation  was,  probably,  to  this  old 
man,  the  most  gloomy  thought  that  had  ever  entered  his  mind, 
it  was  one  from  which  he  seemed  to  shrink  with  terror.  Yet 
it  was  vain  to  speak  to  him  of  the  consolations  of  Christianity. 
He  would  at  once  point  to  the  Christian  world,  representing 
them  as  double-tongued,  double-faced  robbers.  He  chal- 
lenged their  right  to  the  territory  they  occupy.  He  viewed 
all  missionaries  as  impostors,  and  would  have  no  dealings 


GENERAL   REMARKS. 


147 


with  any  of  them.  He  would  receive  no  part  of  the  Indian 
annuity,  but  strenuously  contended  that  it  was  the  price  of 
robbery. 

Shortly  after  the  interview  just  described,  I  proposed  to 
talk  with  him  on  the  subject  of  Cliristianity ;  he  readily  con- 
sented, and  we  had  a  long  and  free  conversation,  but  it  was 
not  attended  with  anv  apparent  result.  lie  was  fond  of  hear- 
ing the  Scriptures  read  aloud  by  me,  and  used  to  appear 
much  interested  in  the  Old  Testament  narratives  — the  his- 
tory of  the  creation,  of  the  flood,  Phaiaoh's  dream,  the  feats 
of  Samson,  &c. 


GENERAL   REMARKS.  ' 

This  group  which  tradition  represents  to  have  been  the 
ancient  residence  of  a  great  warrior  chief,  or  king,  bears  evi- 
dent signs  of  liaving  been  vacated  centuries  ago;  the  growth 
of  timber  with  which  it  is  covered,  being  promiscuously 
strewed  over  the  ground  ;  many  of  the  mounds  presenting  a 
broken  appearance,  as  though  they  had  leceived  injury  by 
large  trees  having  been  torn  from  their  summits,  while  other 
trees  of  ancient  growth  jiow  occupy  their  place.  A  casual 
observer  might  pass  through  and  among  these  mounds  with- 
out observing  their  true  arrangement.  The  four  large  corner 
mounds,  being  somewhat  remote  from  each  other,  when 
viewed  from  the  centre  appear  to  form  a  circle ;  but  in  pas- 
sing direct  from  one  to  the  other,  it  will  be  seen  that  they 
form  a  regular  square ;  and  all  the  small  mounds,  except 
those  surrounding  the  corner  mounds,  will  be  found  to  be 
within  the  lines  of  that  square.  The  centre  mound,  or  king's 
tower,  having  n©  small  mound  near  it,  appears,  at  first  view, 
to  have  an  irregular  location  ;  but  when  the  order  of  occupan- 
cy is  understood,  it  will  be  discovered  that,  with  a  view  to 
its  easy  defence,  a  strong  and  secure  position  had  been  se- 
lected for  it. 

A  double  circle  of  tents  being  formed  within  the  group, 
secures  protection  from  an  assault  made  with  arrows  from 
without;    while   the  memorial   embankments  afford  points 


Mi 


146 


ANTIQUARIAK  BESEARCHES, 


.of  elevation,  from  which  the  archer  would  be  able  to  Bend 
liis  arrows  with  certain  aim  to  a  greater  distance  than  could 
those  without.  Besides  those  mounds  are  so  arranged,  that 
they  form  a  regular  breastwork  for  many  of  those  engaged  in 
defence  of  the  tower,  which,  occupying  a  central  position,  the 
commander-in-chief  would  not  only  have  a  full  view  of  the 
enemy,  but  would  be  able  to  command  personally  the  whole 
•force  in  defence  of  the  city.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the 
.labor  performed  in  the  construction  of  this  group  was  nnder 
the  supervision  of  the  artful  usurper,  known  in  the  annals  of 
tradition  under  the  title  of  De-co-ta. 

The  king's  tower,  occupying  the  centj-e  of  the  metropolis, 
measures  thirty-five  feet  in  base  diameter,  and  eighteen  in 
Burftice  height.  The  four  corner  mounds  seem  to  have  been 
erected  with  reference  to  the  four  cardinal  points,  together 
witli  the  four  small  mounds  that  surround  them.  These  lari^e 
^corner  mounds  were  twenty-five  feet  in  base-diameter,  and 
•twelve  feet  in  height;  and  the  four  small  moundt,  surround- 
ing each  of  them  are  thirty-six  feet  distant  from  the  large 
mound,  from  centre  to  centre. 

The  oracular  mound,  or  prophet's  tower,  is  said  to  be 
iformed  of  earth  collected  at  various  points,  frequently  con- 
-veyed  many  miles,  gathered  from  places  where  the  dead  had 
'been  deposited  ;  and  at  those  mounds  the  prophets  were 
said  to  hold  intercourse  with  departed  spirits  at  certain  in- 
-tervals. 

After  the  death  of  De-coo-dah,  my  curiosity  led  me  to  ex- 
amine, by  excavation,  this  singular  group;  and  being  aided 
by  some  Frenchmen  whose  curiosity  had  led  them  to  the  spot 
we  cut  a  channel  five  feet  wide  entirely  through  the  prophet's 
tower.  We  discovered  that  it  was  originally  composed  of  sand 
gravel,  and  alluvial  soil,  to  the  height  of  about  five  feet;  that 
was  placed  over  a  thin  surface  deposite  of  mica;  above  this 
bed  or  stratum  was  another,  five  feet  in  depth,  composed  of 
mixed  earth  and  soil  of  every  variety  known  in  those  regions  • 
and  above  this,  was  a  third  stratum  of  two  feet  in  depth  com' 
posed  of  sand,  gravel,  ashes,  shells,  and  fine  partir.leR  of'.l.ar- 
coal;  a  portion  of  this  stratum  resembles  that  which  is  found 


GENERAL  BEMABK8. 


149 


on  the  Shore  of  Lake  Pepin,  situated  abont  one  hnndred 
miles  distant,  being  mixed  with  shells,  and  with  many 
pebbles  that  resemble  cornelian,  with  which  the  margin  of 
that  lake  abounds.  ° 

We  also  examined,  by  excavation,  the  council  tower,  the 
tower  of  war,  and  the  tower  of  dedication.    These  were  all 
composed  of  alluvial  soil  resembling  that  of  the  adjacent  low- 
land,  and  contained  no  perceiveable  deposite  of  primitive 
order.     On  further  examination,  I  discovered  that  the  pros- 
pective, or  central  mound,  which  is  much  the  largest  in  the 
group,  was  composed  wholly  (with  the  exception  of  a  thin  al- 
uvial  surface)  of  a  red,  or  what  is  sometimes  termed  a  mulat- 
to soil    unlike  any  that  I  could  discover  in  those  regions 
and  which  must  have  been  brought  from  a  distance,    it  con! 
ainod  no   deposite  whatever.     This   earth  resembles   that 
thrown  from  pits  where  lead  mineral  is  now  obtained  ;  but, 
after  careful  and  critical   examination,  by  washing,  I  dis^ 
covered  no  traces  of  mineral  in  it.    I  did  not  succeed  in  ma- 
king any  further  .discoveries  of  peculiar  interest  in  the  vast 
group  tliat  surrounds  the  king's  tower,  except  their  singular 
order  of  arrangement.  ^ 

Notwithstanding  this  entire  group  forms  a  perfect  square  • 
they  are,  nevertheless,  so  arranged  as  to  leave  a  circular 
space  m  the  centre,  by  throwing  a  circular  line  around  the 
tower    at  a  distance  of  about  twenty-five  poles;   and  the 
second,  third,  and  fourth  lines,  gradually  increasing  in  size  as 
they  recede  from  the  centre,  are  so  arranged  as  to  break 
spaces,  thereby  forming  a  regular  breastwork  for  the  defence 
of  those  within  the  circle.     When  I  remarked  to  De-coo-dah 
that  I  could  observe  but  little  advantage  gained  over  an  at! 
tacking  enemy  by  the  occupation  of  this  work,  he  replied  that 
an  advancing  army,  with  breasts  exposed  to  missiles,  would  be 
unable  to  throw  arrows  with  as  much  force  and  precision  as 
could   hose  who  were  elevated  above  them;  and  that  while 
one  half  of  those  engaged  in  the  defence  of  the  tower,  were 
8liie!(Jed  by  the  embankments,  the  enemy  were  entir<^ly  ex- 
posed.   Thus  we  see  that  a  strong  militaiy  organization  was 


160 


ANTIQUARIAN  EKSHAROnES. 


provided  for  in  the  construction  of  this  simple,  yet  remark- 
able earth-work. 

We  imagined  that,  notwithstanding  the  great  antiquity  of 
this  group,  it  yet  embodied  the  latest  improvements  in  military 
organization  known  to  the  ancient  Americans  of  these  regions ; 
it  being  a  consolidation  of  residential  groups,  many  of  which 
seem  to  have  been  constructed  with  an  especial  eye  to  their 
capability  of  defence. 


liuiiiiJ 
I'Ti 


i  ! 


remark- 
in  ity  of 
iiilitaiy 
egions ; 
f  which 
to  t.Leir 


Cut  R. 


©      m 


KOYAL  KESIDENCE. 


THK  BATTLE  OF  THE  BAD-AXK. 


168 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  BATTLE   OP  TJIE  BAD-AXE. 

JJAYITO  provided  myself  with  a  small  boat  and  freighted 
A  ^  ,^**1' F'-?^'«'«"9.  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  I  prepared  to  as- 
cend t  e  M  ssissippi.  to  Lake  Pepin.  Bui  Jy  ^ZZsZ 
an-ested  by  the  early  setting  in  of  winter;  on  U.e  Solh  of  Oe 
tober  eame  a  very  heavy  fall  of  snow,  whieh  in  a  few  lom^ 
covered  he  r.ver  with  a  flow  of  slush-iee,  against  which  we 
found  at  „nposs,ble  to  n.alce  head,  and  we^'e  under  the  n  cls^ 

half  a  m.le,  we  moored  onr  boat  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  river 

t?    1    t\  m""'    '^'V''^  ^"^^-'^  ''^  Mississi,:^  nea 
the    ast  battle-ground  of  the  brave  Black-Hawk.    Near  its 

mouth,  on  the  north  bank,  between  the  bluff  and  the  lowland 

of  the  large  group  ot  earth-work  described  in  the  preceding 
chapter  as  the  ancient  metropolis  of  a  great  nation.     The  soil 

ffvTich  l";r-r''r  ^'''^'  ^^^-^^^^P^"  the  place  (some 
of  winch  are  tlnrty  inches  in  diameter),  are  low  and  stunted, 

sTlT"-?  .f  ^'''"'^"^'  f---g- dense  and  gloom; 

shade  as  if  even  the  sun  refused  to  lend  his  light  to  re-ilh^ 
nnne  the  spot  whose  ancient  splendor  has  so  long  departed. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream  is  an  extensive  river-bot- 
torn  covered  with  a  handsome  growth  of  tall  and  straight 
^mber-trees,  o  various  kinds.  Between  this  bottom  X 
bluff,  l,es  an  elevated  and  beautiful  prairie.  The  bluffs  on 
both  sides  are  h.gh  and  rugged,  presenting  great  variety  of 
color,  with  here  and  there  a  d  warfish  cedar  swinging  from  some 
crevjce,  and  stretching  out  its  ever-green  aLs  hil  in^i" 

Abon   half  a  league  below  the  junction  of  the  Badaxe  lies 
the  sm&Il  island  upon  which  Black-Hawk,  hard  pressed  by 


151 


ANTIQITARIAN   nKSEAttOriKS. 


his  onomicB,  8onp;lit  n  tempomry  respite  to  recruit  the  forces 
and  revive  tlie  tlroopinn;  spirits  ot'liiH  ImlfBtarved  nriny. 

In  Hccordanco  witii  a  i)n)iiii80  irmde  to  We-ru-cun-no  gah, 
an  old  bravo,  I  insert  tlie  account  which  he  gave  nio  of  Black- 
Hawk  and  his  lant  hatfle. 

After  liaviiig  had  fionie  coMvcrsation  with  liim  upon  rc- 
lif,'iou3  snbjectfl,  I  perceived  that  hia  eyes  were  fastened  on 
the  little  island  to  which  I  referred,  and  in  a  few  momenta  I 
Bawatear  {i;lide  down  liis  fin-rowed  cheeks;  then  he  suddenly 
fixed  his  eye  on  me,  and  with  a  look  solemn,  yet  somewhat 
Bcornfiil,  ho  exclaimed:  — 

"Brother,  I  perceive  that  we  donot  worsliip  the  same  Great 
Spirit."  "How  do  yon  see  that?"  I,  asked.  Again  iixing 
Ilia  eyes  on  the  island,  he  resumed  :  "  Indians  never  fight 
unless  they  are  imposed  oii ;  Indians  never  fight  for  more 
land.  Our  Great  Spirit  told  us,  through  the  prophets,  that 
wo  had  land  enough,  hut  none  to  spare;  and  when  white 
men  conie  to  take  our  land,  our  Groat  Spirit  tells  us  to  fight. 
Four  Great  Spirit  tells  you  that  the  Indians  have  too  much 
land,  and  that  you  have  not  land  enough.  Now  one  of  these 
Great  Spirits  must  lie."  Here  he  paused,  and  I  inquired 
which  he  thought  told  the  lie.  He  replied,  "The  Indian's 
Great  Spirit  don't  lie;  but  the  Indians  being  unmindful  of 
what  the  Great  Spirit  said,  let  the  white  man  have  some  land  • 
then  the  Great  Spirit  got  angry  with  the  Indians,  and  left 
them  to  take  care  of  themselves. 

"Black  Hawk  got  angry  too,  atid  gathered  his  warriors, 
and  went  to  fight.  The  white  men  were  too  many;  they 
■  drove  him  back  to  that  island  ;  he  ran  from  Wisconsin  river- 
old  men,  warriors,  squaws,  and  pappooses,  all  ran.  They  had 
no  meat ;  they  ate  bark  from  the  trees ;  they  were  worn  out, 
and  could  get  no  further.  But  the  white  men  came  to  kill 
them.  Black-Hawk  sent  some  young  warriors  to  tell  them 
he  would  not  fight ;  the  white  men  shot  the  young  warriors 
and  then  began  to  shoot  squaws.  Then  the  warriors  beo-an 
to  fight.  The  squaws  threw  logs  and  brush  in  the  river  to 
form  rafts;  the  old  men  and  squaws  got  on  the  logs  and 
brush,  and  started  down  the  river;  the  warriors  drove  the 


TTIK   nATTLK   OF  TltR   BAD-AXB. 


166 


pon.08  into  tl.o  etroam,  and  tl.eso  fullowin;.  tho  squawR,  renrod 
upon  t  0  rults  an.  In,,  and  .,,avv«  and  papp.K.os  snnk  down 

u  the  bat  o,n  l.en  flK,  wl.i.o  n,en  cou.o  with  lu.  flre-ca.oe 
(steamlxmt),  to  sli.mt  Indians  in  tho  water. 

^  "  Bhick-Hawk  and  a  few  warii^ns  and  sqnawn  got  over  the 
rP-or  and  h.d  an.ong  tI,o  rocks  till  dark  ;  they  ran  all  ,.l«ht; 
but  tlu,  W.nneba.oe.  jo.ned  tho  white  men,  and  can.d.t  UM. 
Hawk.  Ihen  the  wh  te  n.en  took  bin,  away  toward  the  snn- 
r.c,Jo^show  hnn  thou-  warriors,  .ore  than  there  are  t.eeB  in 

that r"' '' Jr  ti' "■'  \ " '"'  '"  .^"'^"^  'J^''-'^  ^"  '^  -^''  -" 

that?  Noth,n<r,"  be  answered;    "the  Great  Spirit  was 

nngry  w.tb  the  Indians,  becanse  tho.y  did  not  obey  hlnu  Had 
tl.e  Indians  always  remained  obedient  to  tho  voice  of  the 
Groat  Sp,r.t  delivered  to  the  prophets,  they  wo,dd  have  held 
all  the  bind  from  snnriso  to  snnset.  Eut  thonghts  of  the  i.ast 
overcome  me,"  .aid  he;  "I  will  talk  with  you  more  anolher 


began 


150 


ANTIQUARIAN  EESEAE0HE8. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


Ml 


INDIAN   FESTIVITY.*  , 

nE-COO-DATI  having  remained  with  me  several  months 

after  adopting  me  as  his  son,  which  was  in  the  latter 

part  of  August    1840,  manifested  a  desire   to  visit   some 

friends  of  h.s  who  lived  on    the   upper  Mississippi   ahout 

forty  miles  northwest  of  the  place  where  we  then  were      Be- 

Bome  cattle  I  had  with  m,,  in  about  fifteen  days,  and  atked 
him  to  bnng  some  of  his  aged  friends  to  partake  with  him  of 
a  least.  He  promised  to  do  so,  provided  I  M'ould  permit  thfem 
to  laughter  one  of  the  cattle  at  a  mound  aboul  four  miles 
distant  I  consented  to  do  so,  and  he  departed,  the  ice  then 
being  hard  and  safe  to  travel  upon 

distance,  on  the  ice,  a  long  train  of  Indians  advancin..  pre- 
ceded by  twelve  ponies  which  seemed  to  be  well  lo^^L 
They  soon  however,  changed  their  course,  and  proceeded  to 
the  mound  before  alluded  to,  whicli  was  located  near  a  lar^e 
spring,  on  a  small  prairie  bottom,  containing  about  four  aci'es 
entirely  surrounded  by  tall  timber  (this  w^s  in  Iowa  abon 
twen^ty  miles  below  the  junction  of  Root  liver  with  ifZ 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  next  day,  twelve  mounted  In- 

me^d"F:enT''*'/r^  '"''^"'"'"^  ^^"'>''^^^  -^''  -  --- 
Z^ :^':L'^^.'Sr'f  ^'  -y  ^-:     They  pre. 


ted   me  with   De-coo-dah's   1 


token  of  th 

vited  me  to  mount  the  white 


arge  pipe  of  friendship,  in 


eir  errand  ;  then  having  selected  an  ox,  thev 


m- 


pony,  and  accompany  them  to 


Tradition. 


I  ^j;l 


INDIAN  FESTIVITT. 


wr 


their  camp.    I  assented,  and  we  started  with  a  joyfut  shout 
from  the  Indians,  that  caused  the  ox  to  scamper  off  a    fuU 
speed ;  t  e  snow  being  deep,  ho  took  their  traifand  kept  hL 
speed  unta  he  arrived  at  the  camp.    There  he  was  in  med 
ately  surrounded,  until  De-coo-dah,  coming  oat  with  Z^e 
brought  him  to  the  earth.  ®' 

his^el-air^t/""'"''  ^"^".^^/'PP^^  «ff  h'B  Bkin,  and  tore  out 
his  entiails    these  were  quickly  distributed,  roasted  and  de 
voured  by  the  women  and  children.    In  the  mean  i^e  I  wt 
conduc  ed  by  De-coo-dah  to  a  large  tent,  and  in     duc^d  as^ 
good  whUe  brother,  to  a  circle  of  twelve  grave-looki^^,  aged 

tT:^easttgT  ^''  ''^"  '-''-'  '^''-  '--  -^>  -<i 
Two  large  wooden  bowls,  one  filled  with  boiled  beef  and 
he  other  .wth  honey  in  the  comb,  were  placed  in  U.e  een 
tre  of  the  cu'c  e,  and  each  one  helped  himself.    As  lo  beef 
had  been  cut  mto  slices  before  boiling  it,  the  useless    ncum 
brance  of  knives  and  forks  was  dispensed  wiM,,  and  all  fSl 
towithas  much  apparent  rapacity  as  the  samenumber  of 
hungry  wolves  might  be  supposed  to  exhibit  over  theltase 
of  a  smgle  lamb.    We  had  none  of  their  snarling,  how  ver 
for  universal  cheerfulness  pervaded  the  camp  ' 

After  our  appetites  were  fully  satisfied,  we  became  more 
ceremon.ous,  each  one  licking  his  fingers  until  the  tLUt 
the  feas  were  all  removed  without  the  aid  of  water  o        p.'' 
This  being  the  signal  fur  the  commencement  of  the  ce  e- 
monies,  the  great  festival  pipe  was  filled  and  lighted      De- 
coo-dah  took  three  draughts,  and  then  passed  it^aro'md  the 
Circe,  each  one  taking  three  draughts  until  it  had  passed 
twelve  times  around;  as  it  passed  the  twelfth  time  round 
each  one  filled  his  own  pipe.  ^^' 

^   The  bowls  being  then  removed,  De-coo-dah  seated  himsplf 

TeetTur  Ii?tl  "^-"^  ^"'  ''T'  -"^^  -ti^t'eltTad 
oeen  sung.    He  then  arose,  and  again  passed  the  festival- 

';::!  it  „  ^rc""f  JV^^-"  ^--^ »-  -cdved  it  agam, 
suma..t  of  the  mound,  which  wa=  .urmunded  byllZ 


158 


ANTIQTTAEIAN   EE9EARCIIE8. 


!.  I 


The  snow  having  been  previonsly  removed,  he  stood  erect 
and  uttered  a  shrill  wlioop,  at  wliichall  came  running  toward 
him,  and  promiscuonsly  placed  themselves  in  pairs  about  the 
circle.    Then,  De-coo-dah,  facing  the  east,  drew  from  his  belt 
a  white  weasel  skin,  and  as  he  waved  it  three  times  around, 
each  one  uttered  a  shrill  squeal  similar  to  the  cry  9f  that  ani- 
mal.    He  then  commenced  singing  and  dancing;  all  joined 
in  the  dance,  occasionally  clianting  a  chorus  at  the  top  of 
their  voices,  which  made  the  surrounding  woods  ring.     After 
singing  and  dancing  about  half  an  hour,  he  gave  a  signal  for 
retreat,  and  all  retired   to  -their  tents.     The  old  man  then 
walked  with  slow  and  stately  steps  to  his  tent,  to  regale  him- 
self with  the  fumes  of  the  pipe.    In  about  an  hour,  he  again 
ascended  the  mound  and  whooped  them  together,  then  drew 
from  his  belt  a  spotted  fawn-skin,  waving  it  as  before,  and  a 
bleating  arose  which  all  the  fawns  in  the  forest  could  hardly 
have  surpassed.     They  then  resumed  their  exercise  as  before, 
and  afterward  again  retired  to  renew  the  feast.      All  the 
former  ceremonies  were  strictly  observed  in  each  tent,  after 
which  De-coo-dah,  a  third  time  ascended   the  mound  and 
called  them  around  him.     This  time  he  waved  a  young  wolf- 
skin, and  the  howling  and  gnashing  of  teeth  that  followed,  are 
indescribable.    The  singing  and  dancing  were  again  repeated, 
and  then  all  retired.    The  evening  was  spent  in  liilarity  and 
glee.    The  old  recounted  the  exploits  of  their  youth,  and  the 
young  indulged  in  plays  ard  sports.    I  was  escorted  home 
by  a  joyful  band  of  young  warriors,  who  chanted  festival 
eongs  by  the  way.    They  returned  to  the  camp  that  night, 
and  the  same  ceremonies  were  kept  up  for  three  successive 
days.    The  party  then  departed  to  tl.'jir  homes,  and  De-coo- 
dah,  well-pleased,  remained  with  me. 

I  inquired  why  he  had  selected  that  particular  mound  for 
the  festival  ceremony.  He  replied  that  it  was  a  festival- 
mound,  and  asked  me  if  I  did  not  observe  near  it  a  lono-, 
Bharp-pointed  mound  (Cut  W,  Fig.  3).  Being  answered  hi 
the  affirmative,  "  That,"  said  he,  "is  the  mound  of  extinc- 
tion. 

"  That  feast  being  held  in  ancient  order,  I  saw  no  itnuro- 


INDIAN      FESTIVrrr. 


109 


priety  in  occnpying  that  place  on  such  an  occasion     T  » 
very  old,  the  last  relic  of  a  -,eat  nation   IaT  .    ^"^ 

intercourse  with  white  rnen^I  lav  ^Ter    1'"'"'^  ^"  "^ 

"  That  mound  was  erected  by  a  sinrrlo  h-'^hc  ti   . 
ed  by  three  chiefs,  called  the  WlHt^  W        IV  J  ""''  ^'''''" 
and  the  Little-Wolf  who  1  '' ' '^'' ^^^""^^^'-J^^^r, 

[Pepin].  '  ""^'^  "'"  "'^  memorialized  near  the  lake 

w;;ii^::::;;td^ihf:,:t^^^ 

second  to  the  r'nemory  th  Sn  Led  B.  """'T]'  ^'•"'  '''' 
that  of  the  Little-Wolf  0.0^'.??'^'"^  "'"  '^"'^  '^ 
toeach  chief.    The  twel  Jv  ^  >     ''"'''"  ^^'  dedicated 

cated  to  the  tw^: ::;1  t  Ztelt'D^ ?  T'  ^^^''^  '^^^- 
tribes  this  festival  mound  ZofJofTrT^r"''^''^'''^ 
to  the  memory  of  their  tlelvT/  ,      *"'"'""  «°"S«  ^^^^ 

"The  three  rou  d    o7to  TTT^'''-''''''^'''^- 

iwiiiius  or   tlio  festival  ii  dp  wIM.  fi.  •    n 

a<ing8,wero  eaci-ed  to  the  memorv  of     ,    .  ""'  "'™^ 

erected  that  monument  ^  "  ""'**  "^'"^^  "'•» 

epints  of  tl^ose  t    ee  ctlr  f  H^'^^rV,"  '=''^^'-  "^  «'«Ping 
i»«  about  ti,e  ,„o,;„d  "       •  '^  ""'^' "'"""  "'"""^0  '0  be  hover 

agf/:oi:;tt::f:'';' *:,:;;f '  euj„,me„t,„nh„.e 

-d  '0  their  -a„,,erV  hv  „:  "l  careToT,'""''''''''''"'''- 
penetrate  then-  count,-  f-u-  ;„,"  m     •  .  eonclu«ion  to 

St.  Louia,  to  furnish  ;;,'  I  "^i^'f""-'  »""  '■'='"™ed  to 
eoo-dah,  in  the  meantime  ^aid  a  i,,„T°nr"'^"  """"•  ^'- 
and  othe™  who  resided  iXX^ylnT'T^'  '""'"'' 
accompanied  me  to  Prairl,.  H      ".■  "  S"Per!or.    lie 

«ith  new  Wanl^^rt,  l„  ^'"°"'  "'""•«  I  '''"■"i'bed  him 

way  of  'a  rid.4  of  Ml  ..,',',  T°     7'"'"'°  ''^"''''"^ 

to  the  vicinity  of  the'  lake     t        ■'.""'  '"'"  *''"  W^onain 

'        the  lalie.    Th.a  ndge  abounds  with  lineal 


im 


ANTIQUAniAN   RKSEAROHKS. 


and  otiior  monuments.  I  proceeded  to  the  head  waters  of 
Rock  river,  having  been  previously  informed  by  De-coo-do,h, 
that  its  banks  abounded  with  monuments.  Obtaining  a  small 
boat,  or  skill;  I  descended  that  river  through  a  fertile  and 
populous  country.  I  discovered  many  mounds  and  groups  of 
mounds,  some  of  which  were  much  defaced  by  I'ecent  culti- 
vation, but  others  remain  entire,  and  are  noticed  in  their  order 
in  this  work.  After  I  entered  the  Mississippi,  I  traced  the 
western  shore  of  that  river,  occasionally  ascending  its  western 
tributaries  from  ten  to  forty  miles,  into  the  interior  of  Iowa, 
and  discovered  many  monuments,  differing  much  in  construc- 
tion and  form  from  those  I  had  previously  found  on  the  eastern 
shore. 


OBMEKIL  DISPKESION   OF  THE   ILK   NATION. 


161 


CHAPTER  XX. 

OENERAL   mSPKBsroN   OF  TUB  KI.K   NATION. 

pE-COO-DAir,  nl-to,- giving  ,„e  many  draughts  and  dccnp. 

""'»  »5  ;»"«>»  groups  of  ancient  mon.m.c.nt.,  being  i  ,- 

ft.  .ned  t  ,„t  I  designed  visiting  ,„y  fnen.ls  in  the  sprinf,  no 

ongo .  erfnlntod  the  hilarity  that  he  had  oceasionally  „d,dUd 
in.    Ke  seemed  to  give  np  all  hope  of  seeing  me  a.,ain  tor 

ould  I  prevad  with  him  to  „ccon,pan,y  me.  "lie  .^22 

S    '"  '"■""""  '""'  '"''"'«  '"""  ""  ""^ 

doavo  ng  to  refresh  Ins  memory  respecting  the  flr,t  and 
second  dispersion  of  the  Elk  nation,  hdievi.fg  U,  it  it  U  d 
be  interesting  tome.  "The  first  dispei-s!on,"!aid  he  "To  „ 
not  sat,s  ictorily  recall  the  traditions'of,  but' the  second  be    g 

in  which  tT'"""  =""!'"■»«''"  »■'"'  '"y  gnindfathe™,  and  on! 
in  WMch  I  was  much  interested  when  very  y„un.r  l'  an  vj 
ollect  many  things  that  I  desire  should  hiplaeed";  Z^ 
I  imniediately  prepared  for  the  record.  '* 

He  eominencod  by  oliserving  that  this  country  (meaninir  tb« 
..nme  ,ate  valley  of  the  Mississippi),  was,  by  hisgioat-!™"^ 
fat  er's  grandfather,  traditionally  spoken  of  to  his  grandlkl  ler 
as  having  been  the  primitive  residence  of  their  nation  fin 
nindrcd  winter  before  the  birth  of  his  father,  which  took  pU  " 
two  hundred  and  thirteen  wintei-s  gone  by.  "So you  peroci  1" 
sa,d  De-coo-dah  "it  is  more  than  six  hundred'wint  f  «o 
t U  last  dispersion.  At  the  time  of  this  general  dispersi  n 
the  prim  tive  Elk  nation,  originally  a  brandi  or  trib    ;  U 

aiei,    American   had  become  mingled  and  amalgamated 
With  the  race  of  the  red  men  fmm  t».o  o,.,,fK       a  ,,.,.. 

tbe  original  Elks,  however,  yet  remained  ^iiro  iiri;;:d::n''d 

11 


162 


ANTIQUARIAN   RFSEAR0IIK8. 


,  ll!  il2 


a.  i'l, 


returned  to  the  east,  to  unite  with  a  remnant  of  the  nation  that 
occupied  a  territory  bordering  on  the  rocky  liills  [meaning  the 
Allegany  mountains].  This  emigrating  remnant  liad  cm- 
bodied  themselves,  at  the  time  of  the  last  dispersion,  for  the 
purpose  of  joining  their  brethren  of  the  east,  who  liad  main- 
tained the  occupancy  of  their  native  homes  through  the  war 
wliich  gave  rise  to  the  first  dispersion. 

"The  second  dispersion  occurred  during  the  reign  of  the 
great  De-co-ta,  who  was  a  usurper,  descended  from  the  Black 
Tortoise  nation,  which  came  from  tlie  south.  It  originated  in 
contention  for  dominion  in  that  family.  My  ancestor  belong- 
ed to  the  Elk  nation  who  came  originally  from  the  North,  and 
once  held  dominion  over  all  this  country,  from  the  Mississippi, 
east  and  north,  to  the  great  waters.  I  have  frequently  heard 
n»y  g'-^at-grandsiros  speak  of  the  great  metroi)olis,  and  of  its 
ancient  order  of  occupancy  by  the  great  Do-co-ta,  who  was 
said  to  have  grown  in  power  at  that  place,  until  he  became  an 
absolute  sovereign,  and  pushed  his  conquests  north  and  west, 
far  beyond  the  original  claim  of  the  Elks. 

"  De-co-ta,  being  bravo  and  ambitious  when  young,  attempt- 
ed to  usurp  power  over  his  native  nation,  but  being  over- 
powered by  the  loyal  forces  of  the  Black-Tortoise,  he  was 
forced  to  seek  refuge  among  the  Elks,  who  had  long  waged  a 
defensive  war  against  the  Tortoise.  His  first  attempt  to  de- 
throne his  sovereign,  the  great  Black-Tortoise,  liaving  thus 
failed,  driven  from  his  native  territory  with  many  followers 
he  became  an  ally  to  the  Elk  nation,  to  aid  in  their  war  acrainst 
his  own  race.  '  '^ 

"  Being  well-acquainted  with  their  mode  of  warfare,  loca- 
tion, &c.,  he  rendered  valuable  service  to  the  Elks.  lie  en- 
gaged their  enemies  at  their  weakest  points,  cutting  them  oflT 
band  by  band,  and  aided  by  two  warlike  sons,  and  two 
b^ave  grandsons,  he  ultimately  succeeded  in  conquering  the 
Black-Tortoise,  whose  ashes  were  honored  with  a  funeral  pTle  on 
tI>o  bank  of  the  St.  Peter's  river,  to  which  is  attached  mounds 
of  extinction.  Thus  ended  the  reign  of  tl»e  great  Black- 
Tortoise. 

"  De  co-ta,  having  thus  succeeded  in  his  design  to  overthrow? 


OKNKKAL   DISPERSION   OP  THK   BLK   NATION.  163 

tho  nillng  power  of  l.is  native  nation,  now  becnmo  snpromo 
1  r  over  an  un.u.nso  territory.     S.  extensive  was  hie  .llain 
mlrcwr'-  "^^^^^'-^  '-  ''-  ^^  P'^-1  -  -t  in  petty' 

"In  order  to  aeciire  supreme  power  to  himself,  ho  estuhlish- 
ed  one  son  on  his  right,  and  another  on  his  1  ft  below  « 
jnncfon  of  the  St.  Peter's  with  the  Mississipp      v^     111  lo 

Mississippi  to  be  the  boundary  line  between  his  two  sons,  they 

fitood  independent  of  each  other  in  dominion  ;   bnt  a    a  !o 

omtory  south  of  them  having  become  depop  lated   by   he 

avages  of  war,  the  red  men  from  the  south  began  to  occut 

It.    Ihey  not  be.ng  subject  to  the  government  of  De-co  ta     e 

Z:7\t  '"'^V^V-^^"""^  twot.andsons  south  :f  the  't! 
ritory  of  h.s  sons,  dividing  their  dominion  by  the  same  line 

h^      A        .  ^'^«'««'PPi,  (now  called  Rock  island)  dvin! 
liim  independent  dominion  on  l>nM.  o;^«.    e  ,,,">''  g'^*"K 

"•'Sl'ty  prophets  from  ,|,„  ,o„.h,  and  ,l,ro„lh  hI'  Z^'  ""^ 
was  enabled,  without  the  eheddino-  of  bS  m  k'""'*'''""''^ 
standard  an  imposin..  armv  ThS  "i  ,  '  ^  *"''"«  '"  "'» 
tion  of  ehiefs  to  l,e  two  ^^H^       ,       "' ''°  '*"'  »  ''oP'""- 

effusion  of  blood  wi,     ,|"  ^   ®' """"""  ""•>'  """"'"'•al' 

kingdom,.  ThetS  "!,r'"r  '"  """"  """"^Pendent 
bition,,  asked  «?,,  „  ,.1  f7  ''"'™  ""''  '"^  "'"  "™m- 
e«or  the  .natter,-  winch  I'Ltll^Zn:"  ""'""  ""'^  ^^ 


164 


ANTIQUARIAN  KESEARCnES. 


«  In  the  meantime  they  repaired  to  their  fathers,  to  inform 
them  of  the  conspiracy  that  was  meditated  against  them,  and 
in  company  with  them,  visited  the  great  De-co-ta.    But  De- 
co-ta,  placing  implicit  confidence  in  his  great-grandson,  refused 
to  hear  them,  and  charged  them  with  being  engaged  in  a  mu- 
tinous league  against  the  young  De-co-ta.    The  latter,  being 
informed  of  these  movements,  and  having  his  arrangements 
all  made,  saw  that  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost.    The  four 
kings,  who  had  been  unjustly  accused,  immediately  held  a 
private  council,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  De  co-ta  the 
Great  must  be  killed,  for  the  general  safety  and  good  of  the 
nations.     They  cast  lots  for  his  executioner ;  the  lot  fell  to  the 
Little-Otter,  the  younger  grandson.    He  repaired  to  the  royal 
residence,  and  at  midnight,  when  De-co-ta   the  great  was 
asleep,  with  one  blow  of  his  axe,  he  severed  his  head  from  his 
body,  and  the  murderer,  with  his  associates,  immediately  fled. 
At  the  dawn  of  day  the  deed  was  discovered,  and  with  the  rising 
sun,  the  news  went  forth  throughout  the  nation,  and  all  assem- 
bled to  rear  the  funeral  pile.     General  anarchy  ensued,  bnt 
De-co-ta  the  great  having  many  old  and  well-tried  chiefs,  they 
agreed  to  divide  the  power  among  themselves,  and  thus  were 
organized  many  independent  tribes. 

"In  the  meantime,  the  four  kings  gathered  together  their 
warriors,  each  commanding  in  person  his  own  forces,  and  went 
forth  in  union  to  meet  the  young  De-co-ta.  They  found  him 
on  an  island,  in  which  was  a  la.  <je  lake,  where  his  canoes  were 
safely  harbored,  waiting  to  receive  them. 

"The  four  kings  were  permitted  to  land  unmolested  ;  and, 
in  the  meantime,  De-co-ta  formed  his  line  for  battle  in  the 
middle  of  the  lake,  out  of  reach  of  their  arrows,  and  having 
decoyed  :'  am  down  to  the  lake-shore,  he  moved  forward  and 
gave  them  battle  from  his  canoes.  Having  his  forces  concen- 
trated and  well-arranged,  he  made  great  havoc  at  each  on- 
slaught.  The  four  kings  then  began  to  surround  the  lake,  that 
they  might  intercept  his  retreat,  intending  to  hold  him  in  the 
centre  until  they  could  man  a  portion  of  their  canoes,  and  give 
him  battle  by  land  and  water.  But  De-co-ta,  having  pre- 
viously  foreseen  such  an  attempt,  had  secreted  in  the  willows 


GENERAL  DISPERSION   OF  THE  ELK   NATION.  105 

on  the  island,  a  sufficient  number  of  men  to  man  many  of  their 
canoes,  and  move  them  around  into  the  lake,  and  thLhy  cu 
off  thetM-etreat ;  which  charge  had  been  faithfully  perfc^ned 
dunng  the  first  onslaught;  and  by  the  time  the  four  kin^s  hid 
despatched  forces  for  this  service,  a  large  number  of^tS 
canoes  were  seen  entering  the  lake  in  possession  of  the  enemy 
while  many  others  were  seen  upon  the  opposite  shore  of  tl^ 
narrowest  channel  of  the  river. 

"This  movement  so  terrified  the  army  of  the  four  kin<.s 
«mt  they  immediately  commenced  a  retreat  in  great  confu  bn 
The  narrow  channel  being  occupied  by  the  euLy,  they  we.^* 
forced  to  swim  the  broad  channel.  De-co-ta,  perceiving  tie  r 
consternation,  vigorously  pui.ued  them,  and  slfughter^d  mlny 
in  the  water.  But  the  four  kings,  having  yet  much  the  ad 
,  vantage  m  numbers,  rallied  on  the  shoreria  a  lar.    p  alHe 

gieat     T^.e  L.  tie-Dog  personally  engaged  the  young  De-co-ta 

tt  fi  Tf     .T'm"^'  '^'^  "^^  ^"^"^  ^^--    They^continu  d 
the  fight  until,  at  last,  Deco-ta  was  driven  back  to  the  isllnd 

and^  lake  w:th  the  loss  of  many  men,  but  in  possession  of  mrch 

"He  subsequently  returned  to  his  kingdom,  and  contented 
himself  with  dominion  from  the  junction  of  the  Wisconsin 
south  to  t  e  Missouri,  waging,  however,  a  continual  boMer  wa; 
The  three  surviving  kings,  having  lost  many  men  and 
canoes,  and  a  large  portion  of  their  baggage,  after  burv^n^ 
l^eu.  dead,  returned,  by  land  and  water,  fJd!g  with  tl^m   ,! 
body  of  the  Little-Dog.     ()„  their  retu.;  to  thfir  usua  pTa  e 
o    donun.on,  a   uneral  pile  was  erected  over  the  body  of  the 
L.tt  e-Dog^  and  his  command  united  with  the  immediate  sub- 
jects of  De-co-ta  the  great;  and  after  dividing  them  eves 
auto  families  and  bands  of  families,  they  chose  tlieir  leaders 
and  each  band  governed  itself.    These  two  commands,  equa  - 
11^  t'  ««!;;;«"Jrated  forces  of  the  three  kings,  the  Red-Deer 
he  Black-ydf,  and  the  Little-Otter,  were  pl-'mitted  to  enjoy 
heir  lavorite  form  of  government ;  and  the  three  kings  be  ng 
located  between  them  and  the  mutinous  Dc-co-ta,  th!y  lived 
at  peace,  and  prospered  for  a  long  time. 


166 


ANTlQtJAniAN  EESKAKCIIBS. 


"The  young  De-co-ta,  having  an  extensive  border,  was  fre- 
qucnfly  harassed  hy  his  southern  neighbors,  and  w^s  unable 
tocopew.th  theunited  forees  of  the  tlu^e  kings;  butherged 
au  occasional  border-war  with  the  Little-Otter.  But,  fn  pro- 
cess of  t„ne  the  Little-Otter  died,  and  was  conveyed  b/  U 
subjects  to  the  funeral-pile  of  his  fathers,and  deposited  the 
and  h  s  subjects  also  adopted  the  government  by  chiefs 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  the  Little-Otter,  a  national 
quarrel  took  place  between  the  Red-Deer  and  the  Black  Wolf 
relul  ve  to  the  occupancy  of  the  territory  vacated  by  the  vohm' 
tary  removal  of  the  subjects  of  the  Little-Otte,-   and  they 
waged  war  with  each  other  until  the  Black- Wolf  fell  in  battle 
near  the  spot  where  his  father,  the  Little-Dog,  had  fallen  b; 
the  arm  of  De-co-ta.    The  Black-Wolf  was  c^iveyed  to  to 
funeral-pde  of  his  fathers,  and  his  subjects  adopted  the  gov! 
ernment  by  bauds.    The  Red-Deer  being  very  old,  called  for 
a  unjon  of  all  the  bands,  to  go  out  agains!  De-'co-ta  to      ent 
the  death  of  De-co-ta  the  Great ;  but  the  bands,  many  in  num! 
ber  were  scattered  over  an  immense  territory,  and  could  not 
be  brought  toge  her.    De-co-ta,  being  informed  of  the  propo- 
sition made  by  the  Red-Deer  to  the  scattered  tribes,  was  much 
enraged,  and  sought  revenge  in  single  combat.    He  challenged 
the  Red-Deer;  they  met,  fought,  and  the  Red-Deer  fell   and 
iie,  too,  was  conveyed  to  the  ancestral  mound  ' 

"Shortly  after  De-co-ta  himself  died  of  wounds  inflicted 
by  he  Red  Deer,  leaving  no  male  issue.  He  was  deposited 
with  his  fathers,  and  his  command  was  ruled  by  chiefs  aided 
by  prophets.  Thus  ended  the  reign  of  the  sovereign  De-co-tas 
and  thus  began  the  rule  of  prophets.  The  subjects  of  De-col 
ta  divided  into  independent  bands,  sustained  their  nationality 
for  a  long  time,  retaining  many  of  their  ancient  customs  and 
ceremonies. 

"The  Little-Otter,  being  the  younger  of  the  grandsons  of 
De-co-ta  the  Great,  and  his  executioner,  was  esteemed  b-  hig 
nation  a  brave  warrior.  Occupying  the  southeast  frontier  o'f  the 
territory  of  the  four  kings,  he  was  frequently  harast^d  by  the 
wandering  war-parties  of  the  young  De-co-ta,  for  the  posses 
sion  of  a  small  portion  of  territory  that  lav  o^af  of  the  Wis 


OENERAL   DISPERSION   OF  T«K   ELK  NATION.  16T 

the  occupancy  of  it,  however,  n„tll  death      m       "    . 

bravery,  erected,  on  the  8pot  where  he  wa«  l.n       ^ 

"  The  descendants  of  the  Lifflo  nff«-  „  ,    , , 

being  divided  between  two  cin-ef/  nt,  t  Pot  ^d  7 

-=err.rBtB:z:ti;i-,  rr^"  "^ 

ea.ee,„ed,  lived  at  peac'e  »"u     ke  ^1,    l^f  i'Z" V"' 

sin«,e  bands.  xt'^Jr  S^'grXTLTTn"'  "^ 
panson  with  the  nations  to  wln-cl,  thevb!!  f  ,  v  ,  ™'"" 
the  erection  of  mounds  became  „„»  dm  '^™'^''^ ''«'»"Se3, 
of  the  increased  a.nount  ofT:  oV  e"  i  ^  't'"  r""-^"-- 
each  individual      Chan<rp„  ;„  f.        ]  performed  by 

lead  to  changes  of'^l^r  3  IrclT'-'r"'  "''T''" 
able  to  „,eet  in  great  national  festivri  ev  ZLZ""'" 
torn  of  holding  feasts  l)v  bands-  .nrf  ,1  ^  ^^  *"  *="■'- 
f-  the  p,-ese4tio„  of  o,de"1;  We  Wirr'l  "'""^"" 
tial  in  small  assemblages,  wer  nXted  L  J^  l7  "''"■" 
.t  was  not  nntil  after  the  observation  of  L?     ^         '  ""'' 

-I'^^iirst;^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

times  gave  rise  to  murders  that  rnilprif""  '      '^  '""'^" 

ujueis  mat  called  for  revenge.    Thus  the 


168 


ANTIQl/AUIAN   RE8KARCUE8. 


Kh' 


(j  i, 


>  c«U„fw„r  were  „g„  „  ,„„„.    i„  „,„  „,„3„,„„„„  „f  ,„_ 
.ulted,«,,l  .ulo.„,„„„ds  kogun  „«„,„  .„  t„  o,«lcd  i    con - 

tl.o  J,  ,.ck-Bea,-  and  the  Big-Dnffi-lo,  ,v!,ich  ,««  fl„ally  de- 
c  clod  by  pe,.a„„al  conflict,  «,.t  „,„i„„,„j  ;„  „,^  ^^    "^^  j« 

Ihat  event  ,8  memorialized  west  of  Lake  P,„in.  This  conflict 
Wwever,  d,d  not  veenit  in  ,l,e  further  di,.,,er»ion  of  ,tao 
ban.,,  for  ,l,e  rnling  power  waa  ti.en  „,nfl,  ed  to  the  Cd! 

b!S,>  ''Tn'''':'  *"  '"""""^^  descendants  of  ,0 
Bla  l-Ifear  and  Bip-Buffaio,  and  Ihey  lived  in  peace  will! 

each  other.    The  Bald-Eagle  being  pacifically  dilsedT^ 
P  ople  prospered  and  becan.e  powerful.   But  the  l!t,  e-Bea 
«ho  was  ,„ore  qnarrelsome,  frequently  engaged  in  war  with 
h.,  ne,g  bor»,  until  he  was  at  last  elain  ly  fhe' Whi,e!werse 
and  Ins  r,be  un.ted  with  the  Bald-Eaglo,  as  memorialized  on 
*e  highlands  of  the  Kiekapoo.    [Cut  W  Fig.  4.]    TI    B,ld 
Eagle  was  succeeded  by  lineal  succession  of  Eagles  thrZh 
s.,x  generations,  monumentally  recorded  on  the  CmTS 
the  Kiekapoo  and  Wisconsin.  'femanas  ot 

"  The  sixth  Eagle,  however,  was  slain  by  the  Big. Weasel 
^bo  succeeded  him,  and  divided  the  command  witif tlTe  Red- 
L.on,  h,s  twm  brother;  they  ruled  in  harmonv  nntil  thoy  be- 
came  old.    But,  in  process  of  time,  a  quarrel"  arose  between 
si  t"t    '':;7  "•'-  --P-ey  of  territory,  that  did  not 
result  m  the  sheddmgof  much  blood  for  many  moons-  in 
testimony  whereof,  there    yet  remain  many  small  treaty 
mounds  w.tbin  the  territory  occupied  by  them.     The  Wis- 
consin  nver    by  mutual  consent,  was  their  original  dfv  s- 
on  Ime,  and  the  lowland,  of  that  stream  present  1™ 
treaty-inounds  than  any  other  stream  in  those  regions.    ^Z 

^J!.'^'7.°'  '''"®",'  '''°°''"'  '°  '^"'o  "'^  "■»««'•  in  0  pitched 
battle  between  their  whole  forces,  and  assembled  on  Z 


OENEUAL   DIBPKRSION   OT  TIIK   KLK   NATION  jg^ 

banks  Of  the  WisconHin,  near  the  junction  of  Bl„o  rivor  .n  1 
— iMg,  i„  perscn,  hi8  own  anny     The  c  , „  1  i c    I         '       i' 

:  ^  .u;po,.,„„ee  ean,e  eve„.„„n,  Jho w'  p,  1^  '^ 

mve  ce„aed  to  flow.    The  groat  vaily  „f    1  M       '""" 
.-i„.  ,„i,.ied  it,  ,a,.  ,„vorei,f„  .„„„„  J,;  ,   'l^:;:''!;;'' 

youno;  De-oo-ta,  it,  inhabitant,  d  ispoi-sinR  over  an  imll 
morv  a  o„,,di„,  in  m,  flo.h,„„d  L,  wfrlen.    elTel':;- 
Clothe  themselves,  en  oyin.r  peace  fni-  ma«  ^"feeaana 

pale-faced  men  o    the  ^000'^^"  sited  tS  T'    7"'"  "'» 
"P  >l.ei.-  soil  and  laying   "w  Of!,,  ^  1      f™',  *"•'"'"■"« 

.^ei;.".ntin,groi,„df,thoy:e:::/r^  :::^,^ 
:ai^tj::i^^iBi^zS= 

red   man  relnotantly  gave  way  from   river  to     iv^' / 

rTe:„:i:-n:L:i— ^^  . 

..eon  the  dividing  line  of  natif^r  T    re  t   "  0  "t tS 
|.on.h  was  compelled  to  mingle  with  a  peoTe  dTffl  ■ 
l-.Knage,  manners,  and  customs,  who  madeT  '  '" 


as  a  bix-ast-work 


iigainst;  the  pale-faced  intrud 


uim  serve  thein 
er,  until  all  the 


170 


P!    'i^ni 


-ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCHES. 


red  »e„  eas.  a„d  ao,.th  „f  the  great  hills  became  nationally 

ee::i;'7he:u:r,::„!'^  r  f  r  °'  -^  '""■'"•  -  ^  - 

De-coo-dab."  ^  "^"S-the  h„to.y  of  daj-e  unknown  lo 


TOET   MEIGS   iNo  „3   knTKOM. 


JilM 


Cut  F. 


e 


e  @  es  ao  e 


@  ©  ©  ©S©S©o 


m 


NATIONAL  EAGLES. 


9 
& 


0 

o 

o 


« 

9 


Cdt  M. 


TnUNGULAB  WOKK  OF  WISCONSLN. 


a 


TBEATY   MEMOKIALS. 


178 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

TREATY   MEMORIALS. 

QN  the  lowland  adjacent  to  the  Wisconsin  river  abont 
y  twelve  m.Ies  rbove  its  junction  with  the  Mississippi,  is 
a  g  oup  of  seven  long,  narrow,  flat  embankments  wi^h  six 
small  round  mounds,  not  very  near  each  other,  and  with  no 
apparent  systematic  arrangement.  When  I  had  shown  a 
drawing  which  I  had  made  of  this  group  to  De-coo-dah  he 
informed  me  tnat  it  was  composed  of  treaty  memo;ia! 
mounds,  exhibiting  the  usual  features  of  works  of  tl  I^c  asl 
found  throughout  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  but  occun  I 
rarely  south  or  east  of  the  Ohio.  occuuing 

They  are  sometimes  seen  in  groups,  but  more  frequentiv 
B.ngle  and  isohxted,  unless  when  appended  to  resSId 
groups;  there  they  are  laid  in  regular  lines,  some  w  1 
and  others  w.thout,  matrimonial  mound,  between  them  The 
jnarnage  memorial  mounds  which  sometimes  accompany' 
hem  often  appear  to  have  been  thrown  up  without  regard 
to-order  or  arrangement,  wherever  fancy  or  conscience 'dic- 

Treaty  memorial  marriage  mounds  differ  from  other  matri- 
mon.al  mounds  oeing  low  and  flat  upon  the  top,  with  a  cir  '  . 
at  t.e  base  winch  is  slightly  sunk  below  the  surface  •  this 
c.rc le  having  been  formed  by  the  removal  of  the  ear  h  arc  d 
tl^Y-^se,  out  of  which  the  mound  w^as  const.cted.  ;  l  .tl,er 
^.a^monlal  mounds  were  formed  of  earth  brought  .ro.n  a  diJ 

Wy  monnds  were  formed  !n  a  cimilar  manner,  an.l  have 
^  sl,gl,tly  ,  e„res,ecl  or  nndnlating  s„n..ce  around  i,em'.  The 
ends  are  obl„i„e  or  levelled,  f„r,ning,  with  tl,e  side,  JTo 
".'3le»  or  points  diagonally  opposite  to  eaci  other     Til 


1V4 


ANTIQUARIAN   EKSEARCIIES. 


were  never  constrncted  in  nortli  and  south,  or  east  and  west 
lines,  but  always  deflect,  at  a  greater  or  less  angle,  from  the 
cardinal  points.  They  are  found  scattered  through  the  coun- 
try, at  various  places  where  treaties  were  entered  into  or 
ratified  ;  and  frequently  contain  deposites  of  blue  and  white 
arrow-heads,  &c. 


IS   IfiiJ 


I 


PLAN    OP   ST.    CLAIk's   BATTLE-FIELD. 


Explanation.— A,  encnmpment  of  the  militin;  B,  C,  encampment  of  main  army; 
I),  retreat  of  the  militia;  E,  trace  of  the  retreating  army:  F,  the  grave  of 
Genl.  Butler,  and  others;  II,  tlie  site  of  Fort  Kecovery,  built  by  Gen.  Wayne, 
I,  brass  cannon  disinterred  in  1S30. 


rNFmrsHED  earth-woekb. 


176 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

UNFINISHED   EAUTH-WOEKS    ON   STKADDLE   CEEEK,  ILLINOIS. 

'THERE  is,  at  the  junction  of  St.addle  creek  with  Plumb 
■^   nver,  four  miles  weRt  of  Mount  Carroll  (Carroll  Co    111 ) 
a  group  of  mounds  some  of  which  are  apparently  complete, 
but  many    .hers  are  in  an  unfinished  state. 

De-coo-de  h  represents  these  works  to  have  been  constructed 
by  a  peop.e  who  were  accustomed  to  burn  their  dead  The 
rings  or  circular  mounds,  shown  in  the  Cut,*  are  from  'twelve 
to  twen  y-five  feet  in  diameter,  and  about  two  feet  in  height 
The  earth  appears  to  have  been  thrown  from  within,  forming 
the  ring  and  leavmg  the  interior  in  the  form  of  a  basin 

Each  family  for.ned  a  circle  that  was  held  sacred  as  a 

family  bunal-place,  or  funeral  mound  ;  and  when  one  of  the 

amily  died,  the  body  was  conveyed  to  this  place,  and  fuel 

A^f  TT,'  ""'""  ^^^''"^  '"  *''^  ^'^"'"  ^"^  there  burned. 
Afte.  the  body  was  entirely  consumed,  a  tlnn  covering  of 
earth  was  spread  over  the  ashes.  The  next  deafh  called  for 
mmilar  ceremonies,  and  so  on,  until  the  enclosure  was  filled 
Then  the  rmg  was  raised  about  two  feet,  and  thus  prepared 
for  further  use ;  and  this  process  was  repeated  as  often  as  be. 
came;.oceP  .-y  the  diameter  of  the  circle  being  gradua  Iv 
d.mnns led  at  the  erection  of  each  addition  to  the  Hn^g,  givi  . 
^,  finally  a  conical  form.    Some  of  the  rings  showS  fn  thS 

battle-burml  mounds  attached  to  this  group:  I  sunk  a  shaft 

-  one  and  was  fully  satisfied  of  the  ^corretnesrof  the     a 

d.tional  history,  from  the  fact  that  after  sinking  abo      ten 

nches,  I  s  ruck  a  bed  of  earth  and  ashes  minglell  with  pa" 


ty  incites  below  the  snrrniinfllno.  sn-n 


See  p6g<)  6S>, 


aeo. 


W      !i4  . 1 


170 


ANTIQUARIAN    RESEARCIIEg. 


I 


Tills  mound  was  constnicted  in  the  form  of  a  tortoise  without 
head,  tail,  or  feet,  and  I  presume  it  to  contain  tlio  aslies  of 
a  portion  of  that  nation.  I  examined  the  other  mound  of 
tile  same  class,  and  found  it  to  be  composed  of  the  same  ma- 
terials, and  so  of  several  others  which  I  examined. 

In  the  vicinity  of  this  group,  and  about  forty  poles  south 
of  it,  there  is  another  completed  group,  where  tnmular-burial 
was  practised  without  fire.  The  traces  of  bodies  in  decom- 
position are  evident. 

Doctors  A.  and  .T.  L.  Hosteller  sunk  shafts  in  two  of  thoeo 
mounds,  in  one  of  which  they  found  the  jaw-bone,  with  tlie 
teeth  of  a  human  being  apparently  of  gigantic  proportions  ; 
they  still  retain  it  in  their  drugstore  at  Mount  Carroll.      I 
presume,  however,  tliat  this  was  a  relic  of  some  recent  de- 
posite,  as  there  were  also  other  bones  in  a  better  state  of  pres- 
ervation in  the  same  mound.     The  other  mound  adjacent  to 
it  was  found  upon  examination  to  contain  nothing  more  than 
the  usual  strata  of  decomposed  matter.     After  a  tliorou"-h  ex- 
amination of  the  group,  I  was  satisfied  that  there  had  either 
been  a  change  at  some  past  era  in  the  common  mode  of  buri- 
al, or  that  this  region  was  inhabited  by  an  immense  popula- 
tion, at  diflferent  eras,  who  practised  tnmular  burial  in  difi"ur- 
ent  ways.     The  traditions  of  De-coo-dah  sanction  the  latter 
conclusion;  ami  it  is  fin-llier  corroborated  by  the  fact  that, 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  as  far  as  our  researches  have  extended, 
we  have  found  in  all  burial-mounds  examined,  the  traces  of 
fire  in  a  deposite  of  charcoal  and  ashes;  while  on  the  east 
Bide  of  that  river,  from  the  junction  of  the  Missouri  to  the 
falls  of  St.  Anthony,  we  have  only  found  an  occasional  iso- 
lated mound  of  that  description,  with  the  single  exception  of 
the  group  on  Plumb  river. 

From  these  facts,  in  connection  with  the  traditions  of  De- 
coo-dah  respecting  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  those  regions,  as 
of  various  languages,  customs,  and  color,  we  are  led  to  the 
conclusion  tluit  at  least  two  distinct  races  of  men  have  occu- 
pied tliis  territory  at  different  eras,  and  that  both  became  na- 
tionally extinct  anterior  to  the  occupation  of  the  present  In- 
dian race.    And  we  presume  the  era  is  not  far  distant  when 


4i  'I 


UNFINISHED  EARTH-W0KK8. 


177 


time  will  add  to  the  catr bgue  of  extinct  races,  that  of  the 
North  American  red  man.    Not  three  centuries  have  passed 
emce  he  ranged  tl    forest  of  the  east,  roamed  over  the  prairies 
of  the  west,  basked  in  the  sunshine  of  the  genial  south,  and 
visited  at  pleasure  the  regions  of  the  far  north,  undisputed 
master  of  all,  and  with  none  to  make  him  afraid.    But  the 
white  man,  greedy  of  territorial  extension  has,  by  gradual  ad- 
vances driven  the  Indian  farther  and  farther  west;  war,  dia- 
ease,  and  famine,  have  rapidly  diminished  his  numbers ;'  the 
vices  which  civilization  brings,  have  done  their  work  in  the 
degradation  of  the  Indian  character,  and  the  extinction  of  aU  its 
nobler  traits ;  game  has  become  less  abundant,  and  already 
the  forest,  the  river,  and  the  prairie,  refuse  to  supply  the  means 
of  a  comfortable  subsistence ;   the  miserable  remnant  of  a 
great  people  must  fly  to  wilder  and  more  remote  regions  or 
contmue  to  drag  out  a  wretched  existence  upon  the  scanty 
pittance  dispensed  by  their  conquerors.    A  few  more  years 
and  the  red  man,  like  the  mound-builders,  will  have  passed 
away.  ^ 

Such  were  frequently  the  reflections  of  De-coodah  He 
was  aware  of  the  condition,  and  mourned  the  doom  of  the 
Indian  race ;  but  would  occasionally  take  comfort  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  a  faith  that  the  Great  Spirit,  or  God  of  his  fathers 
would  at  some  future  day  pour  out  his  wrath  in  retributive 
vengeance,  to  the  total  extermination  of  the  white  man. 

Let  us  now  examine  more  particulariy  the  evidences  of 
a  plurality  of  nations  anterior  to  the  occupation  of  North 
America  by  the  modern  Indian  race.    We  suppose  the  Mia- 
sissippi  to  have  been  the  point  at  which  those  diff-erent  na- 
tions came  in  contact  with  each  other,  from  the  fact  that  at 
that  point  a  marked  difi-eren*;e  appears  in  the  general  form 
of  their  tumular  monuments,  and,  moreover,  the  amalgama- 
tion or  mixture  of  forms  in  the  construction  of  those  mounds 
or  embankments  exists  to  a  greater  extent  along  this  river 
than  m  any  other  region.    This  circumstance  probably  origi! 
Hated  by  the  chances  of  war,  in  conquest;  as  these  border 
nations  would  necessarily,  from  time  to  time,  advance  over 
one  another's  borders  in  alternate  acquisitions  of  territory. 


178 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEABCHK8. 


IT«! 


I 


!(■* 


and  during  their  intervals  of  occupancy,  each  would  erect 
monuments  according  to  their  own  taste  and  design.  The 
fact  that  both  nations  were  in  the  habit  of  rearing  tumular 
monuments  seems  to  militate  with  the  belief  that  either  was 
nationally  connected  with  the  North  American  Indians,  as 
the  latter  have  never  been  in  the  habit  of  erecting  tumuli  at 
any  era  known  to  history  or  tradition.  That  those  nations, 
differing  in  customs,  came  first  in  collision  with  each  other 
at  or  near  the  junction  of  the  Missouri  with  the  Mississippi,  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  as  we  go  south  from  that  point,  the 
tumuli  gradually  partake  of  the  pyramidal  form,  resembling 
those  found  in  Mexico,  South  America,  &c.,  and  rej^resenting 
in  miniature,  the  tumuli  of  Africa. 

On  the  contrary,  as  we  advance  north  and  east,  the  pyr- 
amidal form  gradually  sinks  to  the  low  conical,  or  flat  mound, 
presenting  many  circles,  squares,  and  triangular  groups  and 
embankments,  resembling  those  found  in  the  north  of  Europe. 
These  facts  seem  to  carry  with  them  the  rational  probabili- 
ty of  the  former  presence  of  nations  which  derived  their 
origin  from  two  continents.  And  if  I  may  be  permitted  to 
indulge  in  speculation  sustained  by  lingering  traditions  I 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  these  two  great  national  powers 
waged  war  with  each  other  for  many  ages  (as  the  immense 
tumular  monuments  erected  by  each  seem  to  indicate),  until 
both  became  greatly  reduced  in  numbers  and  strength.  Thus 
enfeebled  they  fell  f.n  easy  prey  to  the  wandering  hordes 
(probably  of  Asiatic  origin),  who.  assailed  them  from  the 
south,  were  wholly  subjugated,  and  lost  their  national  ex- 
istence by  amalgamation  with  the  race  of  their  conquerors. 

These  two  powers  thus  united,  would  find  but  little  diffi- 
culty in  overcoming  the  tribes  of  the  north  (probably  of  Euro- 
pean descent),  who  are  traditionally  represented  to  have  been 
engaged  for  more  than  a  century  in  one  continual  scene  of  in- 
ternal war ;  and  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  international- 
amalgamation  would  give  rise  to  numerous  nations,  with  their 
peculiar  manners,  customs,  and  language.  The  wandering 
habits  of  the  conquei-ors  being  adopted  by  their  tributaries, 
they  became  dispersed  and  scattered  until  the  lapse  of  a  few 


TTNPINISHED  EARTO-WORKg.  j^jj 


FORT  HAMILTON,    OHIO. 


Fort  Hamilton  was  erected  by  Gen  J  St.  riftir  ;«  a    t     ,      .. 
A,  the  old  fort  built  by  St  Clair    n      I     '     ^'^^''''^'''  »'91-ExplanfltIon. 

bridge  that  spans  the  Miami  '^'^''^f'S',  block-houses;  C.  the  present 


i^ 

Ki 


180 


ANTIQUARIAN  RB8EARCHE8. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

BATTLE   BURIAL-MOUNDS,    AC,   NEAR   PRAIRIE    DU   OHIEW. 
PAINTED   ROCKS. 

'PIIAT  the  ancient  Americans  were  very  numerous,  there 
■*-   can  be  no  doubt.     Their  battle  burial-mounds  show  that 
great  numbers  must  often  have  been  engaged  in  conflict,  in 
the  meeting  of  hostile  armies.     Near  Prairie  du  Chien  there 
are  not  less  than  nineteen  monuments  of  this  desciiption. 
One  of  these  now  bears  upon  its  summit  a  large  and  splendid 
mansion,  erected  by  11. 11.  Dousman,  a  gentleman  well  known 
in  that  region,  who  had  accumulated  a  large  fortune  in  the 
fur  trade.    The  location  is  a  beautiful  one,  when  considered 
without  reference  to  its  association,  as  the  once-hallowed  soil 
of  a  funeral  mound.    During  the  excavation  for  the  cellar  of 
this  building,  I  frequently  visited  the  place,  in  the  hope  of 
discovering  some  relic  of  primitive  deposite ;  but  we  found 
nothing,  except  the  presence  of  a  large  quantity  of  decom- 
posed matter,  resembling  a  mixture  of  lime  and  ashes,  with 
no  appearance  of  charcoal,  or  other  traces  of  fire.    This  strat- 
um was,  at  the  centre,  about  five- feet  in  depth;  and  after 
the  excavation  was  completed,  it  presented  a  plainly-marked 
line  entirely  around  the  cellar,  of  about  ten  inches  in  width 
The  laborers  informed  me  that  they  had  taken  out  about  four 
hundred  cart-loads  of  this  earth. 

The  embankment  is  sufficiently  extensive  to  form  a  hand- 
some  oval  yard  entirely  around  the  building. 

It  was  near  this  place  I  presume  that  the  traditional  battle 
between  De-co-ta  the  Younger,  and  the  united  kingdoms  waa 
lought;  and  it  was  near  here  that  the  White-Deer  fell  and 
yet  stands  memorialized  in  a  tumular  monument  reprosentinff 
the  body  of  that  animal.  ^ 


11 


BATTLE  BURUL-MOUNM,   40.  Jg^ 

tie,  a,  given  by  De-coo-dal,  "'  '"'""■^  "f"'"'  >""- 

«»eeio„  „f  fo,„.  linl  I     "^ ;*/'""  ""f"''  '"<^'«<I  at  tl,o  inter. 
Bad-Axo  river   „°      S  "'^ """''"'?•  °»  «'«  i^d  waters  of 

ing  two  Ld,  re  d  1 L  3J;:1  ™V"  "'"  "'""'  "»- 
otl.er  two,  reprc.ntod  a,  ,  ",«.  lut  '  °  """""'■  '"" 
tained  their  dominion  ovw  «,  ?'  "J"'"'"  '°  ^"™  "•■""■ 

ivo  lives.  """'  P""?'"  ''"""g  "-eir  respect- 

^»ta,soi„  ;rrors:rt^in,:r''i:'7 

junction  of  Paint  creek  on  tl,„  w    .    i  ,       "'■    ^^  "'» 

»bont  nine  miles  nor  ho^P^riro?  "'''''' ^'»»'»»W'- 
"pon  wliich  many  sin<.nir.  „!•  V  *',^'"'=".  "  «  ""go  rock 
colore  which  seem  t^*^  ^T'T  '"'™  •«""•  «'«'«"ted,  in 
™.-n  ;   andl'iX  pai    i  r  e'ri  ilr 'T  1  ''""'  "' 

..0^,  ...ere  rallireXdr  "^^t,^-       «->' 

abo  rtC::,!:  ^7™™"^'/""'.  f-^-'g  abont  ave  feet 
ground  npwl  d     it  s       "T    '  ^''"''"'"^  "''''™S  «'°"  "'» 

an.  sn,a,,X:t;  :Ul    :t^:"tnToV:f '^d  "'"''^■"• 
tain  a  superstitions  reverence  for  it  7n7  "''"'"'  '■'^^• 

Without  leaving  tobacco,  or^sln^U';,      inr'.To;': -^  " 

0?::;:;:^  r '"°"°  -"— -• »;:: ^iT  mi.:; 
'.ad  c:-.h  rb-ror' ""  "'*r  "^^^'^  ^™-''™n,v,:o 

rock  for  forty  years  h  re  J°r7r''^P''"'"=  ''^'  ""'^  ^•''^''^d 
yjeais,lie.emarked  that  there  had  been  noaddi- 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


f/i 


132 


ANTIQUARIAN   EE8EAECHES. 


tional  painting  on  it  since  his  knowledge  of  it,  and  tLat  tLe 
colors  were  jet  as  bright  as  when  he  first  beheld  it. 

In  imitation  of  those  paintings,  the  Indians  of  the  present 
day  occasionally  indulge  their  taste  for  painting,  and  their 
paintings  may  frequently  be  seen  on  the  bluff-rocks  of  the  St 
Peter's  and  Blue  Earth  rivers.     They,  however,  are  easily  dis- 
t.nguishnble  from  those  of  the  ancient  American  r  the  fi^^ures 
are  accurately  drawn,  but  the  colors  are  much  inferior  in  dura- 
bility and  brilliancy.    My  attention  was  arrested  in  view  of 
a  group  of  paintings  on  a  bluff  rock  of  the  St.  Peter's,  that  I 
learned  had  been  recently  executed.    I  sought  the  artist,  and 
found  him  near  the  junction  of  the  Blue  Earth  river.    He  was 
an  aged  man,  and  he  informed  me  that  he  had  recently 
finished  the  last  memorial  of  his  art ;  but  after  furnishing  him 
with  oil,  paints,  and  brushes,  I  prevailed  on  him  to  execute  for 
me  a  few  drawings  on  canvass.     He  was  known  by  the  name 
of  We-ru-cun-ne-gah. 

He  appeared  to  be  endowed  with  a  lively  imagination,  was 
passionately  fond  of  female  society,  and  hrd  six  wives  In 
conversation  on  the  subject  of  a  plurality  of  wives,  he  con- 
tended  that  no  woman  could  be  found  possessing  all  the  graces 
which  properly  belong  to  the  female  character— to  wit:  love, 
duty,  innocence,  sincerity,  wisdom,  and  devotion,  or  religion  — 
and  that  man  was  entitled  to  the  enjoyment  of  all  these.  He 
admitted  that  more  than  one  of  these  graces  might  exist  in 
one  woman,  and  that  no  female  was  destitute  of  them  all.  He 
believed  that  there  were  mpn  incapable  of  appreciating  any 
of  these  graces,  and  consequently  not  entitled  to  social  hiter- 
coui-se  with  the  other  sex. 

He  had  three  tents,  or  wigwams,  in  which  he  kept  his  wives 
by  pairs  ;  love  and  duty,  sincerity  and  innocence,  wisdom  and 
devotion,  occupying  tents  together.  He  divided  his  time 
among  them,  and  had  twenty-four  children,  and  many  grand- 
children. They  all  appeared  to  dwell  in  harmony,  and  lived 
plentifully.  He  had,  also,  a  small  lodge  or  tent,  made  of  well- 
dressed  elk-skin,  in  which  he  kept  his  paints  and  paintings. 
The  interior  of  this  lodge  was  literally  covered  with  paintings, 
representing  men,  birds,  and  beasts ;  one  circle  of  the  lodge, 


P     SI. 


id  tLat  tLe 
it. 

the  present 
',  and  their 
!  of  the  St. 
I  easily  dis- 
the  figures 
ior  in  dura- 
in  view  of 
ter's,  that  I 
artist,  and 
'.  He  was 
d  recently 
ishing  him 
jxecuto  for 
T  the  name 

lation,  was 
ivives.  In 
;8,  he  con- 
the  graces 
wit:  love, 
religion  — 
bese.  He 
it  exist  in 
1  all.  He 
ating  any 
cial  inter- 

his  wives 
sdom  and 

his  time 
ny  grand- 
and  lived 
le  of  well- 
paintings, 
paintings, 
he  lodge, 


&PIDEE  AND  TEUN6ULAE  CEMETEEY, 


Cut  L. 


Scale,  100  feet  to  the  inch.  [ 


UNFINISHED  CEMETEEIE8. 


J 


IlllWil 


BAITLK  BUBIAL-MOUXDS,    Ao.      "  jg, 

however,  was  set  apart  for  the  works  of  in«  •     . 
Tlie  sun,  moon,  and  stars  wIM,  a      „  ,  ^*^  inanimate  nature, 
liaat  colors,  enclosedt  a'  d    W  d  "'"'"'^  ^^•°^°-'  ^«  1>-1- 
one  third  of  the  space  withh  the  jl'^'^^r^'^'.^^^^P^^d  ^^out 
interesting  dome.  ^  ^^^S^'  ^^'''^^ng  «  rude  but 

4'rwh- h^et"^^^^^^^  Wcun-ne-gah  at  this 
vass.  He  was  a  native  of  the  Lr  ^"'"''^  '°^'  "^«  ^°  «-»- 
the  head-waters  of  tho'^  tip;r':nrhT  '"'^""^  ^ 
t>on8  of  many  groups  of  mounds  that  h«h  IT  ""^  ^^^«"P- 
young;  but  he  retained  no  tradU^^^^^^^^  '^'^  '^^"  ^^«" 

origin.  ''''  traditions  of  their  primitive  use  or 


FOKT   GREENVILLE,  OHIO. 


'^--«Sts:^-:--t:-- 


186 


ANTIQUAEIAN  EE8EAECHES. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THIED   TOUE   OF   KXPLOEATION. 

JJAYIJ^G  devoted  about  two  .years,  accompanied  bv  De- 
Al.  coo-dah  and  otbers,  to  the  superficial  survey  of  tumular 

iiistoiy,   1   resolved,   in   the   sprin(r  of  1840    fn  f«  . 
Bu.voy  of  the  Imeal  mngcs.    Having  promised  to  meet  mv 

On  my  arrival,  I  was  informed  that  De-coo-dah  had  not 

p jd  to  be  aead ;  fo.  Us  z.  it/'zir:^'::^:^ 

a  cont.act  oi  fulfil  a  promise,  and  he  had  promised  to  «i„..„ 
and  preside  at  a  feast,  to  be  held  i„  the  anc  enTorder  TZ 

u^,ra-p  e  of  the  Spotted-Deer,  in  commem  1:^':; 
t    f  fesfval  treat  of  white  men,  celebrated  at  the  fe  tiv,! 
Circle  of  the  Wolf,  Deer,  and  Weasel,  the  preceedTng  wtte" 
He  had  given  the  order  of  arrangement  for  this  feast,  prTvilus' 

0  his  departm-e  ;  which  consisted  in  procuring  twelve  delto 
be  roasted  who  e,  in  honorable  commemoratio^n  of  tie  twel've 
De-co-tas ;  the  fe^t  to  continue  three  successive  dav    in  iTotr 
of  the  thi-ee  chiefs  last  memoi-ializcd ;  four  deer  to  be  ""n 
sunned  on  .ach  day ;  the  feast  to  close  ;vith  a  bounll  rera"t 

1  ed"!::?'  «°  "^  .""'™°'-y  of  ""  -'"'e  .nan  who  C 
Bished  the  ox  for  the  ancient  feast  at  the  tribal  circle. 


THIRD   TOUB   OP   KXPLOEATION. 


187 
Tlio  mention  of  lli<.3oeircn-«».„„„      • 
D«oocl„l,  ,,„d  told   „„       ■"^' r  ''"°°""''""°"«''''   ■"«' 
feast  w,,ic,.  ,,e  ,,ad  ;„  e™!     ^  Z  "  ""•;»'>-"''»".  »f  ■>  g-at 

tl.e  best  coarse  of  action  in  C^ttiV  "m  '  °""""  '"■"'  "»  '" 
ed  mo  ll.at  Dandy  Jacic  air  1','  '"""''■•  ^I"  '•"•'"'•'"• 
''•«  i"  the  vioinay  and  I'T^''"'  Menonnnee  sportsn,,,,,, 

^ould  l,e  nH«t  lil^e  ;    „  !  ^\"''"'"  ""  '"»'  sopa.ated, 

-odd,  My f.,end -•:;',  t;:r,j^:»^'" ^-'^ -^ d. 

seek  Jack,  and  in/bnn  l,im  tint  i''.'  "'essenge,-  to 

>"■">■     Early  next  m«,-„i„l   T    I  '^  ""  """"'""'  "i* 

"ondnoes  and  six  nrinnch',  '  ^""""'C""^''  l>y  tl„ee  Me. 
!■""  'I.at  a  „„ao .  ™  3  :  "'"  ",'•  "^^  '''"^^  «•<"» 
De-coo-dahwas  dead  b  ,  Ir™;*  ""^  Menonnnees,  that 
any  positive  infonnat  o  'oJlr'  T'°  "f  ""^  """  ''"d 
very  kindly  offered  to  a  d  me  i"  1 '"  ■"'•  •'»°'''  ''O"---. 
fon;  said  that  l,e  knew  Declod.p"''"^  ""'"''"  ''"f'"""'- 
l.ad  feme  knowledge  of  tbe  ftmi'lv  l,'-'',"?  °'  '''^""""°".  ""O 
tl.eu  held  a  couneif  relative;,^  '"  ""'  ">  "^i'-     We 

"  wonid  be  most  sati!  :;;*;";:f '  ""^  -"elndcd  that 
go  and  seek  De-coo-d-d,  JL     ,  I       "^P"'"'  "  delegation  to 

"'  "-  oouneil  thTt  het'as  tal  '  ™"'!,?"™"'"^"t'""«" 
>ny  services,  and  n-as  soo'i^v'  /  "■•'""'"'"elr  volunteered 
-formed  tl^m  tl,  o^  e iltd^a"'^"  »*-•    ^  "-» 

monnds,  going  and  returZl  ^xammation  of  the 

should  travel  slowly,  atd  til  d"  '""T""""  °'  ^''"■'^''  I 
that  accompanied  fn^  and    f  ^t"^?'" '"  """P^^ate  those       . 

would  be  m'ost  con  fo rtaHe  T  """'"'  "'  ""'"  »  l""''^  «» 
tion  of  companions  ,f.  I  '"^'""^'"^  ""  "'*"  «  '"lee- 
inq..fred  who'had "L  Lt   k       ?"!  "'"'  '"^  °""  "-''-•     I 

-'-h  we  must  pa  s  to:  itrrsr*' ""  "'■""■^  ""■""«" 

"  Poket."  '  °  '  *  '"'IMozen  voices  responded, 

Poket,  being  an  elderly  Winno.ago,  and  Iraving  two  s.uaws 


188 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCHES. 


hat  were  hale  and  nimble-footed,  with  a  sprigl^tly  daughter 
(to  whom  Dandy  Jack  was  making  matrimonial  overtures)  I 
deeded  on  taking  the  whole  family,  and  anticipated  a  pleasant 
party.  The  selection  M-as  cordially  approved  of,  and  the 
council  adjourned.  * 

Having  deposited  my  stores  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  I  pro- 
ceeded  to  that  place,  and  furnished  each  of  my  companions 
with  an  additional  red  blanket,  obtained  a  good  rifle  and 
fowhng-p.ece,  with  a  full  supply  of  ammunition  and  other 
small  stores,  and  started  for  Lake  Superior.     We  ascended 
the  Wisconsin  to  the  junction  of  the  Kickapoo,  and  thence 
ascended  that  river  about  seventy  miles.    Here  we  landed, 
finding  some  Winnebago  lodges,  with  the  occupants  of  which 
we  lett  our  canoe,  to  be  returned  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  Intend- 
ing  ourselves  to  return  by  another  route.    Thence  we  visited 
the  monumental  eagles  (previously  described),  at  a  point  on 
the  highland  of  the  Kickapoo,  which  I  have  mentioned  as 
he   terminus  of  four  ranges   of  lineal  mounds,  diverging 

tbence  to  opposite  and  remote  points  (as  seen  in  Cut  F)  We 
traced  the  north  range  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Chippewa  river 
where  we  discovered  an  arrangement  of  earth-work  differing 
m  form  from  any  we  had  previously  seen;  these  were  trian- 
gular  enclosures,  of  various  dimensions,  some  of  which  enclosed 

rr^TM7''w"''7  'l""""'  ^"  fonn,  but  of  various  arrangement. 
(Cut  M).    We  also  found  several  triangular  works,  thrown  up 
in  solid  mass  (Cut  P,  fig.  3),  but  made  no  excavations.    We 
then  proceeded  in  a  course  a  little  east  of  north,  with  the  de- 
sign of  approaching  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  and 
passed  but  few  mounds  of  any  description,  until  we  iame 
within  about  thirty  miles  of  that  lake;  there  we  occasionally 
discovered  on  isolated  truncated  work,  generally  of  small  di- 
mensions.   When  we  approached  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
lake  where  the  friends  of  De-coo-dah  resided,  we  soon  learn- 
ed that  he  was  dead,  and  was  deposited  in  a  mound  about 
eighteen  or  twenty  miles  west  of  the  lake. 

Obtaining  a  guide,  we  proceeded  to  his  grave,  which 
we  found  located  on  a  prominent  elevation.  I  procured  from 
a  neighboring  brook  a  flat  stone,  and  on  it  rudely  cut  his 


THIBD  TOUR  OF  EXPLOKATION.  189 

-mo,  with  the  inUiaU  of  ™,  „„„,  .„,  ,„„„^,  .^  ^^  ^.^ 

the  monumental  eaZ^SftLT"        '""'  °"''  ""'""^  f"' 
latod  crescent  Ztsot  hf™  7  ^'  ""  P""""*  ='""■"'  '«- 

thet':;rea"r„l';;  ?r  -"-o-"-  -«!»,  we  ...aced 
^^n..ea  the.  stoL^l^ll^irnntbt   HKnlt 

.es„,.edTc:;^:°tr  frt,^^^^^^^^^^^^  -r'e  ancestors,  I 

formed  1?    .  ""■*  "'"^'^^  "'*  «''»--'=°«I.  and  evidentfv 
wZt.  '•"  '°™  ^'^  '»  "■«  depth  of  nearly  two  fee,^ 

when  we  came  m  contact  with  a  stratum  of  earth'o^^JS 


■■H 


190 


ANTIQUARIAN    RESKAH0HK8. 


of  fl,6,  ,„  tl,e  i-c»eml,l,„,co  of  decayed  e«rtl,c,M™ro.    Tl,i8 

and  ,«(ed  on  an„  l,e.-,  mingled  with  eand  ;  among  -vLicl  «-J 
dmcovcied  several  b„,„|1  pieces  of  mica,  b  ,t  found  no  other 
depo„te  ,n  any  other  part  of  this  ei„g„i;.  ,.„,.k. 

We  then  proceeded  to  an  exn,„i„„tion  of  the  great  crccent 
wor  s  ,„  he  V  cinity  (.h„w„  in  Cnt  G),  and  Bnfk  a  „f  in 
that  t  a  r'        ""';"•" ."i'-'-^'g  -ny  8«m,iHcatio„  other 

earA    ir  '       1^°     ■''°?":''^"«  "'"  »'"«""> »' "'«  primitive 

Zd  ;■       ,       "J""*^  "  '''"'^  '"  "">  ■=»'"  "f  "'«  '^"nt'"!  work 
(trad,  ,„n«llyea,d  to  represent  tl,e  snn),  mica,  in  small  sheet. 

was  abundantly  i„ter»po,.ed  throngb  a's'tratut^  of  abo      «  ty 

inehes  m  depth,  arranged  in  circdar  form,  and  occnpyin,.  a 

to  that  of  the  snl«„il  of  the  adjacent  lowland 

Ihe  earth  of  this  circular  stratum  was  evidently  obtained 
at  some  ,^mo  e  point,  it  being  a  mixture  of  white-clay  blue 
sand   and  mica,  apparently  rendered  firm  by  press, re      t 
rested  on  earth  similar  to  that  of  the  adjacent  regfrrnd  ;„s 
covered  by  alluvial  of  from  ten  to  twelve  inelfes       depth 
wh,ch  had  either  been  gathered  from  the  surrounding  s,     or 

thll  tlfe  "";•'"'  ''--'position  ot^  vegetable'ma  ;;^^ 
though  the  lapse  ot  many  ages.  Had  this  surface  soil  been 
removed  w,th  care,  and  the  stratum  beneath  been  washed  by 
a  few  heavy  showers  of  rain,  so  thoroughly  studded  ™1 
w.th  small  particles  of  mica  that,  under  The'^.un'sra'   he 

r 'x:;it;rar"'' ""  "'"^' ''""'"'-'  ■— - 

After  making,  by  thorough  excavation  a  satisfactory  exami- 
nat,o„  of  t  e  pentagon  and  its  traditional  appendLette 
festival  Circle,  we  revifiifPfl  Mio  orv,oi  l-       i  i '=""'*K«)  tue 

in  the  vicinltv  nf  Z       f        amalgamation  mound,  located 

nei  (pa.tiallj  described  m  chapter  vi.),  to  re-examine  it  bv 

we trl  d'  f  5'  ""'''""^  "'^^'"^  ^"^  ^^^'^--^1  ^-covery, 
we  p.oceeded  to  an  examination  of  the  sacrificial  altars,  by 


the  im press 
vare.  This 
?8  in  dt?pth, 
?  'vliicli  we 
1(1  no  other 

!nt  crescent 
a  shnft  in 
ation  otlier 
lin  stratum 
3  primitive 
mtral  work 
lall  sheets, 
out  twenty 
ciipjing  a 
I'tlj  similiir 

'  obtained 
;laj,  blue- 
assure  ;  it 
J,  and  was 
in  deptli, 
ig  soil,  or 
e  matter, 
soil  been 
ashed  by 
id  was  it 
rs,  it  cer- 
presenta- 

7  exami- 
age,  the 
,  located 
'^isconsin 
ne  it  by 
he  main 
scovery, 
I  tars,  by 


Oct  0. 


CRESCENT  W0UK9  OF  WISCONSIN, 


Cut  C. 


Scale,  100  feet  to  the  inch. 


MOUNDS  OF  EXTINCTION,  ETC. 


Tm»D  TCDB  OF  „Pl,>,„IOW.  ^     . 

clay,  wo  diacovorod  on  |,„  ....falof  T  •°  '      "''"*■ 

pile.,  or  Br„«n  truncated  monnT  V  ,  '  •'''"''  "'  °''»1 

two  foot  Wgl,,  i„  „rranir„t  '  "''"'"  '^'"-  '"•"  •""•  «"<1 
...d  wl,i,„  claV  of  ,0  eu  "  ,  1  1  '7,""°  "''  "'»'  "^  "'»  ""» 
«.o  whito  clay,  and  tbe  wL  1' .»   .""  ""I'*  '^'"^  '■'""'«'>' 

Wo  next  P.«e;ded  t^tta^r.  o„  o'A-  '  "':^  '^7  "'"•'•> 
raont  (  eatcd  of  in  olmptor  vii )  w"  „  J'-r  7"°""'  ■"°"'- 
by  eioking  four  el.afts  in  tlJbodyJfTo  T  ■  ^""T"""". 
diecowred  no  furtlwr  cban-o  TL,  ,  """«'"«')'  "fflgy,  wo 
flcation.  Wo  a.  d^ee  ndod  7.1,"  7^  ""'"'■'"d  "™«. 
Muacoda,  but  '■>und  no  d         .  ''''"™  '"  '""'■"'d  of 

nnmorou  w" LT„ tha^  „  T         "'  '"""«»«"<>■•  i"  any  of  the 

works  of  small  dimensions  .",''"'"',' "'"""""^ 'rancalod 
embankments,  tbat  r  s  mbie  1°^^"'  ^'""^  "^  »'»"8»"«1 
Tl.e  body  of  [heso  ^rC  boinl  omp„:/'T''  '°^''T''""- 
easily  penetrated,  monvexoavatllTT,  '"""^  """''»'. 

by  tbe  passing  «nti,Lro'rr':sotn?™™"f '"»'''' 
reserved  to  return  to'tbe  MissiU;;!  nter  '  ""  "''™'"™ 

We  afterward  descended  tlm  Mlc^ioo-  '  •  i. 
of  tbe  Wisconsin  to  the  ju„  tlj^lf     ,T '^'°"'  "■<'i™=«on 
Btreara,thatente«  t|.    MiSZ  oil  t      °°'""'*'  "  "■""" 
designated  as  the  S  .„d  S  f  Tr^  ?»  extensive  plain, 
Fosent,  on  its  bos.n  ma!;   ma„  !!';  ,  ?'"'?  '=  '-  I"'""''  !  i= 
small  dimension,,  among  wb  eh  we  Sr^  ^'  '"""'P'"?  »' 
tained  a  rude  st^ne  vault  but  wTtl"^  °"°  """  «<>»- 
About  twenty  mile,  noTo  1:'*  f;  Pf"'™'''^  deposit., 
extensive  range  of  trnncated  wo*    'cZmonri' ''  '  "'^ 
Jacobs' Mounds,  some  of  wbichrro  of  b,T^       """  ■» 
™ised  to  the  alti'tude  of  t  Jenty  fiv^  feet  ''p  r'°""™'  "^'"^ 
tions  have  been  made  i„  tl.  ,  Extensive  excava- 

of  the  largo  worrbei  .  n  ^^  T"'','  ^'  ""=  ^"""O"''  «°mo 
Plements  blrbtnifnte:™/ '?"':''"'•  •  ^'""^  ""■»  "- 
ape^ed  among  human  bone?  '  °^'  °"^'"' '''"""'  '"'»- 

ire 


m 


194 


ANTKitlAMAH  KESBAEOHBS. 


lUi 


This  group  of  works  appear  to  have  been  used  by  the  Indian 
abor,g,„e,  of  the  existing  race  as  a  common  cemeter7for 
many  yeara,  and  contains  more  bones  in  various  stages  of'de- 
compo»,t,o„  than  are  to  be  found  at  any  other  place  in  that 
.eg,on  0   conntry     Bones,  which  are  nearly  decomposed,  are 
found  mragfed  with  those  which  have  been  more  reeenti;  de 
posited,  and  that  seem  to  be  but  little  decayed.    In  the 
exammafon  of  these  works  by  excavation,  it  i,  everywhere 
apparen  that  the  earth  of  which  they  are  composed  7JbZ 

fnd  solMitv        "^  f  ■  ""^J""  •"■^'^""■"8  "'^  compactness 

are  locatd"^  ZZT     "°"'"^'  "  *'  "'"'"''^    These  mounds 
aie  located  near  the  nver,  on  an  elevated  fertile  alluvial  hot 

are  composed  of  sand,  evidently  obtained  at  some  dLL 

luuLZ^t'^T  "'"  "-''^^  ""*  »f  '""■''  location  t 
a  tha  pomt  may  be  seen  a  very  extensive  excavation  on  the 
umm,t  of  an  undulating  elevation,  which  commands  Z  ex! 
tens.ve  v,ew  of  the  surrounding  plain,  and  which  is  composed 
of  sand  similar  to  that  of  which  the  mounds  are  consTncted 
to  the  depth  of  from  nine  to  sixteen  feet.  There  are  svrd 
of  these  excavations  adjacent  to  each  other,  wl,  ch  a  „  now 

wash  ftom  the  emb.inkments  which  surround  them     The 
argest  occupies  an  area  of  about  one  acre,  is  twelve  f^Jt  deep 

we  .t^h:?;r"'  ■'  t"""''  "^^  ^''=^'  eieva^::  ti:^ 

theTrea  wuC  °'  "  "™°'^'  ™"'  ^^^'S-"  '»  "-'<- 
Jacobs'  Mounds  are  situated  on  an  exceedingly  forHle  plain 
cf  great  extent,  yet  they  seem  to  occupy  a  posit  on  snecbl  v 
marked  out  as  the  resting-place  of  the  IL  j'^or  notwE' 
ing  the  site  presents  no  natural  features  indicative  of  the 

fXat^r to^rr ' ''--''  ^^'  ^'■'  -™f ''  -  -p; 

Jl^l-f^""^''  "'  ^'"^  "S'"'  '"'='"»«  ^0  fascinated  with  the 
be  uWu  scenery  of  the  surrounding  landscape,  and  tl"    er 
tihty  of  the  plam  that,  in  the  early  settlement  of  those  region, 
he  determmed  to  make  a  permanent  residence  in  thelmm^ 
d.ate  vcm,ty  of  the  mounds,  and  erected  a  commid 


iiiiuuioas 


THIBD  TOtTE   OP  EWLOEATIOS. 


diyelhng.ho^e  in  the  midst  of  them  but  1,.  „ 

Pelled  to  vacate  it  and  retii-o  in  „  "'  'O™  «»">- 

Wa  wife  and  seve.al  cbiid'n'    .  "™'''"^""°  °'  ^^  ''^''«'  »f 

-t1„''o;:iXt:a:a7iit:!:ij;^^^^ 

<^-  large  group,  of  m^^ds  w        '  "em  ri"      t  ""'""^ 
strnoted  for  tl,e  denosite  of  fl,.T\4  ^""^  ''««'>  «»■"- 

vaiis  to  a  rancl,  Hate"  elntT,' ^°f'""''*' <"'««»««  P-- 
-.pi>ose  this  resnItM  be  ci''~'  wft  .?"'"'■''•  ^  ''"  "»' 
-nnd,  but  to  natural  o^IXnt  'Zr^"?  "'i.'"' 
for  It  IS  evident  that  vvh«,.^  ^^  *''®  local  tv; 

located  that  the^ t  „  t  ^"bie^tT"  "'  ''«'""""  "="'-•''<> 
a™  permitted  t^  Co:XT:r:Zr' ^'''' ^' ''''' 
"l.ere  there  are  natural  obstmcZs  rT  '■'"  f^"'""' 
a-,  a  deleterious  miasma  must  ex Lf  b  ■"„  ""<'"'  "^ 
and  death.  Such  localities  1  e  of,  ^  ^^  "'"'  "  '^«»»<' 
sudden  curves  and  grea  bendlf  '^"""J  °«'"™"ce  in  the 
surrounded  by  nnbXn  ZfZaTnVi""' ^''''"'  "'^™. 
culationof  ai,syetwherr,h  °''"™<"  *«'  «■««  cirl 

invite  the  eary"^;  „    ^^  !^^^^^^^  fertile  allurial, 

fae.  partially  LlJ:  t'l'Z  ;/„:  ':,*^''  "■■^»'-  ^hi, 
bur,al  mounds  in  such  localitie  "for"  f  t  f""""!  r^^'K* 
were  an  agricultural  peonle  a,  M„  '.""'""''■''"''<'«'» 

evidently  indicate,  the'  ale%al3  '"  '"""^  ''«'°°» 
would  furnish  material  mo,!  T  1  "If' a"ng  m  earlier  eras, 

aalubrious  lands,  fote  cons  n,':;''.^  'I'""  '''^''" ''''<>  "-« 
>nay  also  be  remarked  that  h  •  """"  «"'^'«™».    It 

'eries,  it  is  „„t  nucommo  "to  ^  '""""^  "^  '""""""  <"="■«■ 
Stagnant  water,  Tc     :n"  \„  T^'^'  '™'='»  o''  ""-^^'y  land, 

populated  regions,  tho  In  ert^IlTrr"?  "'  "'»««  «- 

«ned  a  popXi"::  h'"c  ,^1  ::"!7 1™  »;  --  -a,  s„. 
I'y  fishing  and  hnntin.  i«  Z  ,  »»'  poss.bly  have  subsisted 
'"■nnli.  On  all  the  ^I^  „"  „  7  "' '■°'" ''"  ■■^™'- "^ 
below,  bordering  on  He  "^^  ve  '  fr  T^  "'"''  "''°™  ""<' 
elongated  ^i-M,  °-,,  ,  '  '°  "•""eated  mound  „.j 
o'lie"    a.Ji-.vorl-,  with  iiaio  „„H  Ik .  ••■'" 


ere  and  there  a  stri 


'''  "'^ '"  "= ""''  '^"" '  '^"^  -  ais; »;:  rgTat:;,::! 


m 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEARCIIES. 


dance,  tracing  the  smaller  tributaries,  far  into  the  interior,  east 
and  west  of  the  Mississippi ;  nor  are  the  highlands  exempt. 
On  the  summit  of  the  lofty  bluffs  along  the  ridge  of  their 
craggy  spurs,  and  even  on  the  mountain  side,  the  mound- 
builder  has  left  his  record.     Aboi.t  nine  miles  north  of  Jacob's 
mounds,  near  the  junction  of  Plumb  river  with  the  Missis- 
sippi, ou  the  lands  of  Messrs.  L.  Davison,  Cooper,  Bowen,  and 
Others,  m  the  vicinity  of  an  extensive  marsh,  annually  inun- 
dated by  the  spring  floods  of  the  Mississippi,  extensive  groups 
Of  burial  mounds,  of  small  dimensions,  arranged  in  lines, 
circles,  squares,  and  triangles,  abound,  and  many  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  the  vicinity  have  contributed  to  swell  the  number 
on  the  adjacent  highland.     But  the  indomitable  energy  and 
enterprise  of  those  gentlemen  in  draining  the  marsh,  has  very 
much  contributed  to  the  healthfulness  of  the  vicinity,  and  it 
now  seems  likely  to  attain  entire  exemption  from   the  in- 
fluences which  formeriy  unfitted  it  for  human  residence. 
_  Near  the  junction  of  Apple  river,  a  few  miles  above  Plumb 
nver,  are  also  many  burial-mounds,  among  which  I  discov- 
ered several  that  bear  the  marks  of  fire,  and  one  that  presents 
ft  circular  deposite,  on  the  primitive  earth,  resembling  decom- 
posed animal  matter,  covered  with  a  stratum  of  neariy  two 
feet  in  depth,  of  pure  clay,  on  which  rested  another,  of  five 
feet  in  depth,  composed  of  sand  and  ashes,  mingled  with  char- 
coal,  beneath  an  alluvial  surface  ten  inches  deep. 

This  being  the  first  work  of  this  description  that  I  had  no- 
ticed  in  those  regions,  I  examined  it  with  much  attention. 
Alter  sinking  a  shaft  from  the  centre  of  the  summit  to  the 
base,  we  shaved,  with  a  sharp  spade,  a  section  eighteen  inches 
in  width,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  and  found 
that  the  work  appeared  to  retain  uninterrupted  solidity.    At 
the  point  where  the  two  strata  unite,  appeared  a  well-defined 
line  of  pure  ashes,  resting  on  clay  and  covered  with  sand. 
Ihere  being  five  strata  at  the  bottom,  with  no  corresponding 
memorial  mound  adjacent,  and  the  entire  work  presenting  in 
outline  the  common  form  of  the  traditional  battle  burial  mound, 
I  resolved  on  a  more  thorough  examination,  and  commenced  a 
drift  tracing  one  of  the  strata  outward  from  the  centre,  until 


THIRD   TOUR   OF  EXPLORATION.  JQ-^ 

drifts  iZgirjii:T;  ^™"™  '"•■«"'  °f "'" '»» 

formed  by  Dtco'rh  Z  il  '  '"^  ■"""'  P"''""""^-  '»■ 
were  c„„i;,med  by  tt  a,!d  ^7'  t-'^r'''"  ""  ''°<"^» 
long  before  the  /net,' el^^eL^r  in  /„  "^'  '°°''  •"'"" 
refusal  of  tbe  s^n  to  Bhino  dul  "Zjil  „fT"°""'  °'  "'« 
and  good  king,  wl,e„  it  was  d  creed  1^/  ^""'."^  "  ''™'" 
sbonid  no  more  be  consumed  bvfi,  ,^™'"  """  S""^ 

was  a  battle  burial-m^nd    Jf  *'\^'\'=°ne'udod  tl.at  tl,i, 

were  interred  i"   ac  ordal     ^^  i    i""^'"'  °'  "'^  «'"«» 
fnneral-pile  of  tbeir  f!,I L  '  '''"'"'■  ""'^  """  *« 

or  memorial  monnd,  in  tbe  "cinil^  ndi  ,^  ""  *?' ""'■ 
tradition,  extinction  by  conqUt  Tbi.  ^^  ""'"'  ^^  *" 
and  alone,  baving  a  bar:?!  'bnnd  edrj  fiTf  T'T 
perpondienlar  altitude  of  about  eight  feet  wUh  .  1  ' '  " 
Bbgbtly  depressed  in  tbe  centre  "™""'' 

3n.al.er  dimLit'l;  :';^rb  irrm  afof  ^'7™'  "' 

composed  o'7^elon"at'IZ"^^°'."'"  "°*  '^  """'I'-- 
in  Cut  0  0.  The  mfit  „■'''' '' '  '"''^  ''"^•■"'"''  ^'  "^"""^ 
perfection  and  eVur^  If"*  "'PP'^r  "l  ™'"'"  "^  P"™'«- 
Uie  tree  appeal  h^a  2  ;„  7,'  *"'■,'  "''  '■"•««'■■  ™  ''^''■=>' 
a'  a  point  ner' the  n    , ,':  '7  Tr  ""'  'T"""^  °''  ''""- 

-^ed .  cb- ,;!:vr;s^^^^^^ 

in  Cut  D  d!  fl^  1  "nd  ;    ;:  "■■7"°"  °f  ""  ^i"  («-■' 

a;  the  points  wheJet  tes't  2::!!:::: z/'^^T 

".o,r  ,„,„oval,are  presented,  and  bear  rCVoffe^;- '^ 


198 


ANTIQUARIAN   BK8EARCHE8. 


«nd  .lleg,t,macj..  These  works,  „le„,  „e  isolated  and  alone 
Tl,e,e  a,-e  sevei-al  other  work,  of  this  description  on  the 
econd  terrace  of  Pl„,„b  river,  and  one  nearVevre  "iver 
Boveral  „„les  northeast  of  Galena,  b„t  they  most  abo  ,„d  on 
Eock  r,ver,  about  thirty  miles  above  Dixon ;  they  alsoTbonad 
o .  the  second  terraces  of  the  Illinois  river,  knd  there  a  Itwo 

-Ihe.c  ,s  a  smgnlar  work  on  a  small  trihntary  of  Apple  river 

o    Ei  zabeth     It  somewhat  resembles  some  of  the  works  of 

t  le  Scoto,  ,n  the  state  of  Ohio.    It  consists  of  an  oblong  sqnare 

woZn,"  '"  'T-1  ^'^""^  ^'^'^f-'-    The  wall  isZ 

ot  clay  that  beam  the  marks  of  intense  heat,  in  all  its  narts 

li       as',  p  """  "  'I  r""  '""■""'^  ■"  «  •"»=«.  ■«  "  "ow 

o;:c,t  L'Ti::::""  °'  ""^ "-  °"'^  "^  '™^^  '^  *»  "^p* 

This  square  is  enclosed  by  a  circular  wall  of  the  same 
d.,nens,o„s,  connected  with  the  square  at  each  corner,  a  d"s 
formed  of  sandy  alluvial,  mingled  with  water-washed  Ubbl 
and  broken  shells;  the  area  enclosed  is  level,  and  presents  no 
f^  ure  d,st,„guishing  it  from  the  surrounding  surf'^ce  of  the 
ea  h.    Th,s  enclosure  stands  isolated,  there  being  no  other 

It  to  be  an  unfinished  work.     (Cut  Z  fig  1  ) 

in  'TUllf'"  r;"""''  "'  *'■"  «W,'i8  another  enclosure, 

n  the  fo  ra  of  an  oblong  or  ellipse,  enclosing  in  the  centre 

he  remams  of  an  animal  efBgy.    (See  Cut  Z,  fig.  4)    T  e 

work  has  been  mnch  broken  by  curious  iuve  tifators    and 

presents  a  very  dilapidated  appearance.  °        ' 


TV 


md  alone. 
)n  on  the 
svro  river, 
iboiind  on 
so  al)oimd 
•e  are  two 
asli. 

ople  river, 
lie  village 
works  of 
ng  square 
1  is  about 
is  formed 
its  parts, 
tructure ; 

S    it  DOW 

be  depth 


Cut  Z. 


Scale,  1,000 /««<  to  the  inch. 


FESTIVAL  CIRCLES. 


he  same 
r,  and  is 
pebbles 
isents  no 
B  of  the 
no  other 
suppose 

1  closure, 
J  centre 
:.)  The 
)r8,  and 


Cut  Q. 


NATIONAL  CIKCLE  AND  OCTAGON. 


LISEAL  BANOKS. 


301 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

LINEAL  EANGES. 

coming  f„„^  3gti,a,<j  ,j  2XlfJ  ^'»"««iPPi,  and  bo- 
«itio„  wa.„ot  accidental  bebeS:;";  '"'  T""  ^ 
(0  retmce  to  its  terminus  a  line  of  ,        '«"'  ^  ""^"^""i 

g™™,  distant  fto^Stt^PotatX  7?  ■-  '<"  "  '"'«» 
grove  is  surrounded  by  an  nnl?.,  .  '"^'"•^  ■»"««•    This 

and  in  its  midst  is  aia„rful  boil?  *"""'«""  *''"''^i 
About  eight  poles  nor  h  „  L  .  ■  ^  '?""«  "'  P'"'^  «■»'"■. 
mound,  surrounded  by  ei/bt  hnr''"^«".  "  '"''«'=  """"^''te'l 
ward  from  tbe  central  itL  "(Set  c!t'y '  «'?'"«  ""'• 
mamed  here  two  days,  and  diseole  d  L^b  ""•  ''^  '  "■" 
tereect,o,ial  range  diverrin^  „„„.  7  '^^  '^"^  ""  '"- 

'im.ed  to  foUowlbe  mai?  fe  «     ^7:      °  '''"*■     '  »™- 
passing  occasionally  a  mound    !»      ,  '"ccessive  days, 

-von  miles.  On  Z.Zt.VttZ  1  "°'"  ''™'» 
tion  was  drawn  to  an  effi^v  t^  ,  *^'"^  ^^J.  mj  atfen- 
t^e  bod,  of  a  la,.,e  fis„  st^funTdT^trrj 'T  J"  '^'•- 
as  represented  in  Cut  K,  ran^e  2d  T^  ?'^^'^  ^'°'"^«' 
the  east  bank  of  a  small  stream  tl'  )  !  """^'"^  appears  on 
bass,  pike,  and  other  fish  of  fine  fl«^^     '^'""^^  "^^^  ^'"'^^ 

bj  the  Indians.    There  is  buriifri''  I' ''  "^"^^  ^''^^"^"t^^ 
this  u-m^l.  .  "    ^'^*'*^  timber  in  fljo  v.VinJf,-    ^ 

tf'is  woik,  except  that  Mhich  grows  alon^  th.  ^    ^'  "^ 

b  "vva  along  the  margm  of  the 


202 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEAROIIKS. 


i  "■*! 


elrcnra     Al>out  fifteen  miles  we,t,  tl.ere  i,  a  l„rgo  grove  of 

po  nta.  (Cut  K,  hg.  2.)  We  fonnd  „„  water  in  tl.is  grove,  and 
mceeded  on  „„r  way  west,  nntil  I  „,,ived  at  another  g  „„,, 
m  sl.own  „,  tl,e  san>o  Cut,  eomposed  of  a  la.ge  tnuftfated 
«.o„nd,  surrounded  by  eigbt  small  conical  mounds  a  "Inged 
in  a  crclo,  in  the  order  of  tl,e  effigies  first  des  r'ib  d  fl  U 
gronp  .s  loeated  in  tl,e  vicinity  of  a  small  grove  nel  abro  * 

:  d::  1:  fT"'/?" "'° "— f  ^Ln  it:::!:,  t^ 

Id  wi      H      T  f««^ '■™«i"s  of  coal  and  asl.es  being  n  in- 
g  ed   nil,  the  clay.    This  grove  is  about  tl.ree  miles  east  of 

it LTtlnvr- "■" ' ''"'""''  "° °"'- ^"-^ ^--» 

Tl,on  I  proceeded  np  the  Missonri  for  four  sncoessive  days 

on    tt/d      ■"""  '^'■"''".™"»-    A'™"g  t'-»  I  noticed  one 
constincted  in  a  serpcntne  form  (Cut  H   flo-   oi    „i     1 

central  efiigy  resembling  a  tortoise.  I'^l.if^I  Side  t'hL: 
excavations     The  central  work  presented,  near  the  snrfico 
Bnmm.t,  coal  and  ashes;  but  the  serpentine  work  contained 
no  deposite.    I  found  no  other  work  in  the  immediate  viein 
y ;  bnt,  nhont  twelve  miles  northwest,  I  discovered  a  gronp 
the  arrangement  of  which  is  shown  in  Cut  T,  fig.  4     I  hive 
frequently  discovered  this  arrangement  in  lidi'ana  and  Illi! 
no,s,  destitute   however,  of  the  elongated  mound  which  is 
here  appended     There  are  many  serpentine  efBgie,  of  sma 
dimensions  m  those  regions;  their  eommon  order" of  arral 
mentis  represented  in  Cut  II,  figs.  1  and  8.     Figure  1  Z 
•esents  the  range  of  truncated  mounds  west  of  the  Mississippi 
■  ivei,  n  an  arrangement  which  I  have  fonnd  nothing  exactlv 
resembling  on  the  east  side  of  that  river,  althongh  th!  "11 
tine  efiigy  ,s  found  far  east,  in  Ohio,  in  the  intermediate 
space  east  of  Illinois.    They  are,  howev;r,  exceeding™  ' 

Diverging  monnds,  or  eiiigies,  aiTanged  aronnd  truncated 
works,  as  are  seen  in  Outs  N,  E,  and  V,  are  of  common  „^ 
currenee  west  of  the  Mississippi.    East  of  that  rivertZy  a" 


LINEAL  BAN0E8. 


S08 


found  appended  to  enclosures  in  Illinois  Tn^- 
cons.n.  In  the  country  lyin.  east  of  7  w  1"?'  '"^  ^•«- 
of  the  Ohio  rivers,  they  leLTf  "  ^''^'"^'  '^"^  ««"t>i 
^Wear  at  all,  a  fa^t  nll^t^S^ef  ""^'  ''  ^"^^^  ^'^^ 

-:ar:;^rrjn:i:^r 

«J„  Chien  there  i8  a  firo,"„  eon  S?     '  m^'  ^>'  ""''  "'  ^''"^'o 
(Out  S.)  '     ""<''"<"',«•'"'  a  aerpentine  arrangement. 

Three  months  were  cxcIas.Vely  devote,)  t„  ,l 
of  the  J.neal  range,  connoeted  with  the  T.°l'    '^''"''"'"'"'' 
Durmg  that  time  I  travelled,  ZZZl  I    ^^  "?'  "■"«"• 
twenty  miles  per  dav  n,nv„  ,i   "'""^"""e  Ic  my  reckonini;,  at 

"A  b/-cav„tin  s7v;rsi*::,r°  T'""  "■"-.->™i"- 

'".ndred  and  forty-ni  "e  m^.d  'T  '' ""Z  "'"»^-^<'  f™' 
"'&  to  my  own  entire  eafofenH  ""''"''''  "'"  """WiBh- 

confident  that  futnr  „vesH°  1  "l  "  7°'"™"  «''«'■  I  «m 
lineal  ranges  were  de  ignedTand!  T""''"™'"'  «»'  '■"> 
or  international  landmafkaand  bonndaTes™'''  '"  ""'•»"" 

is  common  among  Ivage  Ittns  nT'^.r"' '"  "■«  "■•'=  "'«" 
noss  of  outline,  ool-ee.S  of  ;::' "  tn'*!?"''"^  "'^  ^^-'■ 
rangementof  many  of  the  works  'tL^  /  "J-mmetrieal  ar- 
timt  the  mound-buildem  ofXnortl  '  ""  '°  "'"  ^"'''t 

making  deposi.es  such  as  a  fo^n^roT"'''  'V''^  ''»''"  °'' 
Bouth,  to  Mexico,  and  indi  ates  the  1  ?'  ""^  ""  "'^''"" 
cnstoms,  if  it  does  not  atte»t  ?  f.  ^  "'"'""'  °^  ^'•^•"'"R 
Posites  found  at  tl  stu^p  estmir  I'T""'^-  ^^"^  "' 
symbols  of  ancient  idolat?^  ft  „f  he  t""  •™°  °'"'^ 
cliange  of  religious  belief,  or  the  fori  of  ■ZT'""  """  " 
occurred  among  the  mound  b,  iM      T  ?    'dolatrons  worship 

"t  the  north  did  not  experfenc"      "  '"""'  "'"^•''  "'"« 

bohcal,  that  they  were  connected  with  or  r;ra.:d  J^Z  prt 


KM 


if 


ANTIQUARIAN   EE8KAKCirK8. 


va.lmg  religion  of  the  country,  and  that  they  were  designed 
as  ejnibol8  analogous  to  those  exhibited  in  sculpture  at  the 
south,  I  entertain  no  doubt.    This  belief  finds  confirnmtion 
n  the  fact,  that  m  those  regions  where  effigies  occur,  sculp- 
tured deposites  nowhere  abound  ;  and  the  depoeite  even  of 
pottery  ,8  very  rare     In  all  the  mounds  excavated  by  me  west 
of  the  M.ss.ssipp,,  I  discovered  only  one  deposite  of  earthen 
ware,  consisting  of  a  large  jar,  or  urn,  that  contained  ashes. 
This  was   disinterred   in  Dubuque  county,  in   Iowa,  about 
twelve  miles  southwest  of  the  city  of  Dubuque.    It  was  taken 
from  a  small  truncated  mound  in  the  vicinity  of  a  large  coni- 
cal  work  that  still  retained  the  traces  of  fire  on  its  summit 
and  which  IS  located  on  the  summit  of  a  high  hill  command! 
mg  an  extensive  view  of  the  surrounding  country.    This  urn 
was  much  decayed,  and  fell  in  pieces  on  its  removal 


BHAWNEE  VILLAGE. 


design  cd 
0  at  tlie 
firiiiation 
Jr,  sculp- 
oven  of 
me  west 
'  earthen 
d  ashes, 
a,  about 
as  taken 
rge  coni- 
sumniit, 
mmand- 
Ihis  urn 


Cot  V. 


MONUMENTAL  CEMETERIES. 


CrxK. 


IINEAL  EANQE3  IN  IOWA, 


:||ii 


CdtT. 


VAULTED  C^METKl.Y 


Cvrr>. 


Scale,  loo/eet  to  the  inch. 

THiL'MPnAL  MOUNDS. 


MouwDa  m  wiBooHanr. 


809 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MOUNDS  m  WISCONSIN. 

be  found  i„  .|,e  .pJZeiZil'  "P'''''^'"^""'"  °f  "Woh  will 

t'on  of  the  union,  or  ami\^ZTt-       J    ^  '"  """"nomom. 
bearing  «,.  „„„  '  „"   XlZtZ       '"»/""•»■■«.  «■«  on. 

Eear  be.ng  l„et  i„  u,e  body  of  the  birH  I      /     '""'^  ""''» 
»»t.on  one,  ebief,  the  honor  of  coLioarlr '".'"^ '""^' 

sr;r/e.ts„r:f-^ 

«ce»SilL'::°irCi;roni''';-7f!!'»^«^-  ^.  -o* 

river.    It  is  ,„;d  ,„  ha™  been  *     I'f^^"^  "^  ""  »ckapo» 
".ent,  in  co,n,„emoiof  co„o  ^t  'nd'-''  b"'™"'""  «"'-■ 
ft'  sovereign  who  succeeded  t'o    he  do™  „     ""'/  "  ^°"*- 
He  18  represented  as  standing  Z  «     ,    "'"'"n  of  the  Bear.    • 
eating  the  „i«d„„  „f  h"  ,tln  f„ n'      ""  f  ""  ^"'  "'«■ 
father  and  predecessor    T?!  '"«  ""»  "=»""«"  of  bia 

with  equal  eleS  tco^  tir?'''"'^''  '""'-'"Wly,  „ 
tiee  to  both  of  the  unitMlti*:  ''■^'»"""™«»  "t  oqual'Ju^ 

c"nt;'-4°"he'l',rerr:t:.biv''^;"""' '"  «■■'  — '• 

Here  the  sovereign,  „ol"orst»T;' "  ™"™« ''"°"°"»- 
I'e  Bear.  i»  .„.„"',.'.",.!?«?'.  '!""<''"K  erect  on     ,  head  of 

«"<i  1"-.  i.e»d'p;r;t'i;c^'rr  «:?","•."!"'  -'"■"•''"g  <™«; 

-^ed  the  .on-d  ».  e^tl^cL^SLr^lir  ^^^^^^^ 


210^ 


ANTIQUARIAN   BESEAROHM. 


fi  '> 


circle,  with  a  crescent-shaped  mound,  repreeentinrr  fl,a 

the  days  of  the  monnd-buiidere.    Fig   2    loL  «.    '  • 
crease  b,  Wds,  „,  pabs;  .b,o  tbe  t^i^^Z^'^ ^ 

success  in  destroying  young  herds. 

C>»t  W,  fig.  1  presents  the  view  of  n  oo^vJA^-  i  j 
in  a  mound  in  the  vicinltv  of  Z  li       '^'''^f  ^^  ^^P^^'te 
miles  norfl.  of  Pol  7        ^  ^^"®  "'^""^'  twentv-two 

conr:^Lo-^"'C  ^'"^  between  Vis- 

iu  iiiinn.^.     ling  eartli-work  is  s  tuated  on  a  slIo-l.M^ 

so"  ion  7J",™ ' '".  ""  -'•^'"'"■■''-d  of  JZ  i  [ 
aecfon  of  „l,,cb  is  shown  in  fig.  2.  The  vessel  found  with 
m  tt  oontamed  about  half  a  bushel  of  ashes ;  it  was  eoll  ed 
of  elay,  and  was  easily  broken,  being  mt^ch  delve7  I.t 
Bhape  was  nearly  that  of  the  common  earthen  afas'  now 
made  for  use  in  the  dairy.  The  neighboring  1^17 
bore  the  marks  of  fire,  in  the  remains°of  a  st^tl  of  bunied 
clay,  as  shown  in  the  cut.  owma 

Fig.  8    Cut  W,  represents  a  circular  earth-work  seen  in 

he  v,c,n,ty  of  that  shown  in  fig.  2.    This  circleT.as  a     a,n^ 

tr  of  three  hundred  feet,  and  encloses  a  truncated  mound  oT 

la  Iff /"t,""""''  °'  "-^  ''^»^'  ""^  «-  f«et  in  pe,rndicu. 
a   height.    The  summit  of  the  truncated  mound  is  nearly  Z 
with  0  slight  undulation  at  the  centre     A  mll\    f!^    ' 
tion  is  appended  to  this  circle  ""''  "'  '"""<=- 

_   Tig.  4,  Cut  W,  represents  an  earth-work  located  «1,n„t 
twen  y^flve  miles  east  of  Mineral  Point,  in  Wiscl   „   1h» 

also  a  s,m,lar  work  on  the  highland  of  the  Kickanoo     TJ  . 
work  presenting  the  combined  effigies  of  a  WdnnTl,      . 
jeco.,s  tljo  change  in  title  or  nam!  Vi  ''^'X\t"'^^ 

r7fl™  ,.         ,    ■'^  ]'"""«'  """I""'''''  "'«  ""=»»'.  off^ed  in  sac. 

rfrtl:"J"f,."r.«™  »f.^-crificia,  altaLn  either  sid: 

oeast.    xhe  effigy  is  one  hundred  and 


of  ^"i   h/-><^"  ^xT  Ai, - 


M0I7NDS  m  WISCONSIN.  gj- 

yet  bo  traced  in  L  alSl  with  ; rVT"™  "'""'=''  ""r 
Tio  whole  wo*  was  C  d"  ^I"';;  a  -*. '»  o-^d' 
which  was  evidently  hronrf.t  f,.„  j-  ^^''"''  ''^'"'•«. 
eo.e,.ed  with  a  Uaok  aSlttt!  f'r  i  ■""  '' «  »°- 
inches.  °™  '"  ""*  depth  of  about  twelve 

Aokeron,  or  Rock  Hve°t  wteonTi^  xT  '"•'  """^"'  "' 
separate  worlia,  the  relati™  w,-       ;         °°™'"«  »'  "ree 
fawing.    The'  oe2TZ!TZlt^'''f^  ''  """""  ■"  ""' 
feet,  with  an  „„e„„al  alttode  „f  .       ?'  <'""»eter  of  eighty 
outlines  of  the  efflgy  no      of  m"™  '?  '»  ^""^  '''^et.    The 
tinctly  traced;  yet  L    u  fl  '        ""■"'  "°*  "V  >«  dis- 
poot,  and  the'fle  Ig  TtssZTW."^^'^  "  ''■•*»  -* 
fig-re.    The  southern  Innd  If      """"  ""^  '•^«'  »f  ""e 
finished  aspect.  "'^  •"«  »  '"■"ken  and  nn- 

We  have  discovered  several  works  „„  -p    ,     . 
appear  to  have  been  deserted  Tf     ?  ^*>*  "''<''•  "'"'e'' 
oondition;  and  also  severlrLl  f-f"  '"  »"  ™fi"»>'ed 

in  Illinois.  "' '"  ^o™  «"d  Nebraska,  and  many 

e-?of  nattn!',  ZT^:  Jl't  .r'"-'™  ."™''^»--.  » 
Lakes,  in  Wisconsin.    TO  s  !',"„"  "■"  J'?""'?  -^  «'»  Ton, 
eonsin,  and  the  northern trn^^M™'     "  """""o"  '"  W* 
i'  also  appcam  on  the    eco')/' T"  "^  ^°*  river; 
lafayette,  in  Indiana  "'■™"'  "'^  "■»  '"^abasb,  near 

t-gc:^":;^;/;:r:':„:^^-/ *e  tribal  f.^ 

taken  from  an  earth-work  "nsH""'""-  ^'"'»  ""'"a" 
which  was  very  perfect  °„  1840  b  T'""'  '"  ^"'""^'•n. 
ened  its  demoHtion,  It'is  one  If  ,'b  °f '""'■"■'  ""="  ""•'"'^ 
festival  circle,,  being  abo„:  sTAl  'I'^^^f!'  »:"-  "^  «bal 
wii  has  an  eight  feet  base  wi,l,  ."T,'  '"^'"'"aineter;  the 


vvan  iuia  an  enrht  feet  biAA  ,^-^u    "      V  ^'^^^''^o'a^ieter 
the  ee„.™l  «o"„„d  hi'::'.:'!!,"  ^  !™«»"  ».f  about 


two: 


an  equal  elevation  with  the  wall 


sia 


ANTIQUAEIAK  BBSBAROHHB. 


hse  ft  dii^meter  of  about  eighty  feet.  This  is  the  most  extent 
sive  >frork  of  this  order  that  is  traditionally  recognised  as  tri- 
bal. There  are  many  of  those  circles  in  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
and  Iowa ;  few,  however,  have  tlie  appendage  of  the  mound 
of  extinction.  One  of  email  dimensions,  near  the  junction  of 
Eoot  river,  in  Iowa,  retains  singular  perfection  of  form  and 
proportions. 

Cuts  L  and  M  comprise  views  of  the  triangular  works  of 
Wisconsin  which  are  traditionally  represented  to  have  been 
designed  for  national  cemeteries.    The  triangular  form  of 
\frork8  corresponds  with  the  boundaries  of  the  territory  they 
occupy,  as  defined  by  lineal  ranges  of  small  truncated  earth- 
works enclosing  or  surrounding  triangular  preas  of  great  ex- 
tent.    Tl)ey  abound  in  Wisconsin,  and  appear  also  in  the 
southeast  portion  of  Minnesota.    Fig.  3,  in  Cut  L,  presents  a 
view  of  the  wall  of  a  triangular  cemetery  unoccupied,  but 
ready  for  the  reception  of  deposites.    Fig.  4  shows  an  en- 
closure partially  occupied  by  deposite.    Fig.  6,  Cut  M,  pre- 
sents a  view  of  three  central  deposites,  in  union;  and  Fig.  6, 
presents  a  view  of  three  distinct  families.    The  deposite  of 
Fig.  6  denotes,  by  its  central  position,  the  resting-place  of  the 
royal  family,  while  Fig.  6  presents  the  royal  area  unoccupied 
by  its  destined  tenant,  but  containing  the  remains  of  three 
families  of  royal  relatives.    We  have  not  yet  discovered 
any  of  those  triangular  enclosures  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
territories  enclosed  by  triangular  lines,  or  lineal  ranges  of 
earth-work ;  but  have  found  several  m  finished  condition  in 
Wisconsin,  as  represented  in  Cut  P,  Fig.  3,  of  Minnesota. 

Cuts  0  and  O  show  the  various  forms  and  relative  position 
of  groups  of  elongated  works  frequently  seen  in  Wisconsin 
and  the  northern  part  of  Illinois.  Cut  O  was  taken  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Chippewa  river,  about  sixty  miles  above  its 
junction  with  Lake  Pepin,  and  differs  from  a  group  of  similar 
works  on  the  shore  of  the  Wisconsin  river  only  in  its  connec- 
tfion  with  crescent  tvorks.  These  works  are  traditionally 
represented  to  have  been  formed  for  monumental  treaty-me- 
morials,  and  differ  from  national  mounds  only  in  the  triangn- 
iur  form  of  the  ends,  of  the  embankments.    The  crescents 


CdtGG. 


^yptian  Sanctuary  Ind. 


EOBBEES'  CAVE. 


CutQ. 


MASTADON  OF  MUSCODA. 


-*'^*  ,i,.;, 


Ctn<  W. 


UIEBOGLYPIUCAL  AND  SACRIFICIAL  MOUNDS. 


Cut  Z. 


UNFINISUKD  NATIONAL  WOEK& 


"OTOM  m  WBOOMSOT.  jj. 

I'ore  presented,  are  said  tobe  of  reli,r!„„.  • 

oommemomtioo  of  treaties  eute  e5   ITt  tT'"   '"^"^  '" 
ligions  war.  "meiea  into  at  tlje  close  of  a  ro- 

Cat  C,  fig.  1   shows  the  forms  an,!  ~i».- 
""go  of  national  mounds  e/t^H        •         "  P<«ilionofa 
"long  the  Black  river  "nwtl^  '"  '  "°""""'""  «»« 
tbe  Mississippi.    This    inel  ■?'"'  '"  J""""""  ""!> 

"0  from  tiSt,  to  It  Vo  r'"''r''  f  '''^"  ™*»  "■«' 
breadth,  and  tCo  and  fhaKn  "-T^''  '''«'"^'»  *«»'  i" 
oach  other  about  sil  1  i  „  '   ^^  •''  """^  ■"■"  ^i""-' from 

"early  two  miles,  ut  ate'ar T."P;'"/  "  "''"''«'"  "°«  ''-'■• 
other  works.  ^  """"  ""''"<'<'  "'  unconnected  with 

»o!!fdslc,l*;krn""wl,Ior  "',  '1"  ''■''^^'>"'  f°™»  »f 
«  -nd  0  symbolize  TmitlStr  "  '•'""""°"-  ^'S'- 
end  of  the  work  a  squa^te™  I'  ''^Z'!  "'  !!■"  '"«^^ 
»'ons  of  fig.  6  is  indicative  of  dZft'e  ,1,  "'^"^  ''''"■'°- 
I»».te  being  marked  by  a  slirf.t  !.      .  °  P""'''""  "^  <)»- 

the  work;  the  round  do's  Si  t^"  """'  "-'  «»""•«  °f 
cavalion  made  in  the  .'"■'''"' "'«P°""«  of  ej- 

presents  the  fom  of  h  narT"°"  "'  '""  ''»*  ^ig.  4 
i"g  from  the  mo^d  f  fit"!'  "T'  f  '^""««™-  ■^'*'- 
tl.e  larger  end  of  the  work"^  TTl  V^  "'"'  '"'"'  »' 
records  a  change  in  ffovemm»nt  j  .,  ^  peculiar  form, 
qnered  monarch.       S°'""™"''  ""d  the  deposits  of  a  con- 

^^iX^:tTi^:^:  rfr  °^»  -»^e  of 

«a  national  residential  00  2^^;  <•"''''  ''""^'""^ 
inown  as  such  by  the  preZe  of  ^  f  \°'  ™'"»'  ""d 
works.  This  arrangemenHs  «.»„  •  '°'^™"=<'""«  '™ncated 
of  truncated  works  r„d',-,  '"r™"«<>°  "'"ft  groups 
sometimes  found  in' III  noirkd  •'""''  "I  "'"""•  ™ey  afe 
most  in  Uie  southern  ptro'?'wisr„r '  °"'"'  -"'  "''°-'^ 

soutl"„fW^tn^sir.Teytlurm  TT  """  ""  "»'  ««» 
e-tern  and  southeastor^p    tl^"' t'?"™"^'"  *«  "orth- 

«ota.    Orescent  works  ^tet^Z^^^T""^"^  Minne- 
relative  connection  Le.r„t™l"  '1""°'^'  ""^  "»'  '"  the     .    . 

''""'=">   ""iy  are  also  seen  in 


218 


n. 


ANTIQUARIAN   EK8EAR0HE8. 


Miolngan  bordering  on  tl.o  lakes.'    An  iBolated  gronn  of  crea- 
cent«,  such  as  is  presented  in  Cut  O,  fig.  2,  we  Imvo  only 
discovered  on  tl.o  waters  of  the  Chippewa  river;   b,.t  the 
relative  arrangement  presented  at  fig.  1,  occurs  on  the  high- 
land  of  the  K.ckapoo,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Delve,  on  the 
Wisconein   and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mount  Trumbull, and 
east  of  the  Cuppili  Blufis  of  the  Mississippi.     We  have  heard 
110  tradition  relative  to  the  arrangement  of  fig.  2;   but  figr 
1  .8  represented  to  have  been  a  national  altar  of  sacrifice,' 
dedicated  to  the  service  of  females  only,  at  w'liich  the  de^ 
vout  assembled  to  offer  sacrifice  at  the  appearance  of  each 
new  moon. 

Fig.  1,  Cut  T,  is  traditionally  represented  to  bo  a  royal 
cemetery.     It  is  seen,  in  a  dilapidated   condition,  on  the 

n  r^V  n?'"'^"^^"^  '''''^  ''  ^''-''^y^^  ^^  P^!"ti"g  on  a 
blutt  of  the  Ch.ppewa  river,  occurs  in  an  unfinished  condi- 
tion near  Cassville ;  and  the  form  of  the  main  stem  of  the 
work  18  seen  near  Dixon,  on  Rock  river,  in  Illinois;  but  in 
the  finished  condition  represented  in  painting,  I  have  only 
found  It  m  Minnesota.  "^ 

Fig.  2,  Cut  T,  is  traditionally  represented  to  be  a  sacri- 
ficial altar  of  national  character,  where  the  nation  offered 
annual  sacrifice  to  the  sun.     This  arrangement  is  seen  in 
Wisconsin  and  Nebraska.    The  central  work  was  dedicated 
to  national  sacrifice,  while  the  smaller  works  were  designed 
for  the  use  of  individuals  by  whom  they  were  erected  ;  and 
the  four  remote  and  larger  works  were  held  sacred  to  the  use 
of  the  prophets.    The  drawing  from  which  the  cut  was  made 
was  taken  from  the  regions  of  the  Blue  Earth,  and  was  the  most 
extensive  group  among  many  that  we  have  surveyed,  a  de- 
tailed  account  of  which  has  already  been  given. 
^    Cuts  y  and  N"  represent  arrangements  which  abound  most 
in  Wisconsin,  but  figs.  4,  5,  and  8,  are  seen  in  Iowa,  and 
lig.  4,  in  Nebraska.    These  cuts,  however,  are  taken  from 
works  in  Wisconsin.    The  central  work  enclosed  by  a  circu- 
lar  wall  (fig.  4),  is  traditionally  represented  to  be  a  national 
sacrificial  altar,  where  a  thank-offering  was  consumed  an- 
nually, and  is  known  as  such  by  the  double  circle  that  sur- 


MOUNDS  IN  wrsoowsw. 


S19 


rounds  It,  of  wall  and  conical  moxmcU     Ti 
mounds  boar  tl.o  inipress  of  fi  o  nn  i  .   """^^  ^'^"'^"^ 

"Bed  for  tlio  olFor  ri  of  1    •?    '    ^^  '"'^  "'''^  ^'^  ^'^^«  l>«en 
TI.0  clung  tod  r^^  by  individuals  or  families. 

symbol  of-    atlllitv   V       "      '""""'"'"'  "'°""^^'  ^«  ^ho 

teen  ^.iles  eoutl/of  Madison     .  Wiseo  s      '  Tb  " ''  T""; 
truncated  works  fin^lno^  ^  ''"laconsin.     IJio  circio  of 

acres.    Tb  I's  no!"  o      .   '  '""''""'^  ""  ^''^'^  ^^  ^'^<>"t  ^-ur 

the  region    oB,rEar:^""  T^".  "^"  '"  ^^'^-'^'^  - 
tificial  in  U.    ^'"f-^^\tb  river,  but  it  is  evidently  wbollv  ar 
tincial  in  its  construction,  wbilo  tbat  nP  fl.«  -ni      t^     *; 

miles  abovn  its  ,■„„„«„„  ^it h  H,„  w  "''  "''°"'  "'"« 

form,  and  of  tholr.j^llr'fT'"''"!™  °'''»  "'gi""' 
the  n„,„ber8  six  and  fojSl  nf  ™'!"  °'^°"'''  "''P^"'^''^- 

on,,^..o,„..dat„n.p„,n,as.non«„„odi,a^^^^^^^^^^^ 
f.™  the  cent/o  of  eac T    delS'ttb    fo,'™""."  ''™^«'"^ 

points  appended: „?:::e:::itr,„Y„7:^^ 

m  no  other  instance  have  I  discovered  ate  than  H  '  •''"' 
■n  connection  with  this  arran<.eraenl  T  L  V  ?  P"""' 
dition  respeetinff  the  ex  J, If    f  "''^  ^^""^  "»  '■■«- 

sented.  ^  ""  ^'''""  "'°'^«  "^  ""■"-gement  bere  repre- 

Cut  K  is  a  view  of  a  gronp  „f  earth-works  about  twelve       ' 


sto 


AKTIQDARUlsr   lUWBAROIIlM. 


If 


pre  :s:  :™:r;,r  s;;  .xr^^  *? 

Cut  J,  tnken  south  of  Root  river  in  Tnw«    , 

abound  moot  in  Mi.aonri  h..,  „       """""Hslied.    Theeo  works 
tie  I„w„  river".„d  tl    ii^  r?r"  °"  ^""'  '"'"••  "'"  J-i*- 

desc,  be,!  in  tbe  previ„,„  detail  oU.^ZZl        "  "  '""^ 

wo*  „iu,  tbe.  bioro„,p^ri::"i;;rd:gr'  '^""^  "''""■■ 

«onn  river,  in  Missonri ;  and  fl,„  3  .1  ?!  -"^  "'°' 

tinuous  line  running  fro',  tbo  wlelt  fivT,:':,:  cr 
pewa  nver,  intereocting  another  range  r„„nZ  ea^/tf '"P" 
M..e.«s,ppi,  about  seventy  or  eighty  .files  ea  t  of  Take  p"^ 

of  a  small  stream  in  Wisconsin  eflled'', le^B  d-te"°Tr^ 

.0.T1  .  ^;  '  .'  '  ^  *'  feP'-esenta  detached  eronns  of 
earth-works,  described  in  tbe  detail  of  exploratioS  whose 
order  of  arrangement  differs  from  any  olhe™  I  have  yet  dT 
covered  m  the  valley  of  tbe  upper  Mississippi  Tirsjrj 
forms  here  cembined  are  met  with  ia  other  groups  „  lo" 
Ibno,s,  Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota;  bnt  I  have  ^ot  f„,rd 
these  i>ecnl,ar  combinations  or  mode  of  arrangement  Z 

Cut  B  and  T  comprise  groups  in  which  angles,  trianjles 
«.d  sem,.circles  occur,  tbe  relative  position  ll  ^U^u'^^i 


rosonted  to 
lio  union  of 
in  Wiacon- 


jpresents  a 
iiavo  been 
vo  nrningo- 
re  a  Imgo 
lieso  works 
3r,  tlio  Lit- 
.  East  of 
It  is  fuJIy 

>  position, 
8  of  earth- 
ing from 

the  Mia- 
snt  a  con- 
;he  Chip- 

from  the 
fe  Pepin, 
ploration. 

litionally 

>  vicinity 
e.  This 
orations, 
•onps  of 
I,  whose 

yet  d  is- 
le same 
n  Iowa, 
t  found 
nt  else- 
ipected. 
iangles, 
3h,  and 


CvT  A. 


CIECLE.  TWAKGLE.  AND  PAEalLEL 


WODKS. 


Cut  W. 


niEEOOLYPHlCAL  SCUU'TUBE. 


m 


^ovm>B  m  mscomm    ■ 
fheir  connection  with  parallel  l.'n      i 

descnbed  in  the  detail  of  exnlml  ^  '?  '  ^^"^  ^^''^'-^^J  been 
^«  especially  ^'emarkable  for  1 7  f  '^''  ^'"'''^'^  g'-°"P), 
P^-esenting,  on  an  area  of  ei.  t  Z  "'  '^  '''  ^arth-works 
dred  and  fifty  „,ounds  or  sepa  1  Tl  T'  '^^^"  ^"^  ^-- 
g';o"ps,  but  all  n^utuall,  SeT  T  '  ^.?''^^  "^  ^^^^^al 
who  :s  familiar  with  the  gen  r^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^o  any  one 
class  in  those  regions.  ^'^angement  of  works  of  this 

-o^rds^iL!ltictl"an''!Hr  f'  '^''^"^^  P^«'^'-  of 
^•epresented  as  residential  monnds^t' f  T'  '''^^^"-"ally 
"ever  discovered  either  str^Sl  '^  ^'""P^  ^  ^^^e 

'-^"d  jet  they  are  of  frequent  00'       '  ""'   '^'''  '^  ^^P^site; 
and  Iowa.  ^"'"*  occurrence  in  northern  Illinois 


ENGRAVED  STONES. 


"--^:::^=tri--^.*;^.„. 


re- 


15 


II 


!i2e 


ANnqUABIAIT  RE8EAKCHK8 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

IIIEROOLTPIIICAL  PAINTINGS. 

rilJT  X  presents  a  view  of  a  einjrnlar  group  of  pjiintinrrg 
yj  seen  on  tlie  sn.face  of  a  bluff  rock  wl.icli  overhancrs^a 
pleasant  spring  of  pure  water,  some  tliirty-five  miles  so'iith- 
west  of  ti.e  jtniction  of  the  Crow-Wing  river  with  the  Missis- 
sippi. This  spring  rises  at  Ihe  head  of  a  deep  ravine  shnt  in 
by  craggy  bluffs  whicli  are  thinly  covered  with  dwarf  shrubs 
The  rnde  figures  painted  on  the  rock  are  relatively  arranged 
as  in  the  cut.  The  various  forms  composing  the  group  are 
Bncli  as  often  occur  in  earth-works;  but  the  hieroo-Ivphical 
Characters  appended  to  the  several  effigJes,  are  very  remark- 
able, and  challenge  investigation. 

Cut  W  illustrates  the  general  character  of  the  painted  rep- 
resentatlons  frequently  to  be  met  with  on  the  surface  of  the 
bluff-rocks  along  inany  western  rivers.  Some  of  these 
thongh  covered  with  moss,  retain  great  brilliancv  of  color' 
when  stripped  of  their  covering;  other^  have  suffered  much 
by  long  exposure  to  the  weather,  and  can  not  be  easily 
traced.  The  cut  presents  a  view  of  all  the  fiiiurcs  which 
could  be  clearly  made  ont,  on  the  walls  of  a  cavern  in  Indi- 
ana,  about  twenty  jtiiles  below  the  junction  of  the  Wabash 
with  the  Ohio.  The  cavern  was  commonly  known  to  the 
early  settlers  as  Wilson's  Cave.  (See  a  previous  reference  to 
these  paintings,  in  Chapter  I.) 

Cut  P,  fig.  3,  presents  a  view  of  three  triangular  cemeteries, 
traditionally  represented  to  be  in  a  finished  condition,  which 
appear  iiv  the  northern  ]>art  of  Wisconsin,  and  on  the  south- 
eastern  border  line  of  Minnesota.  Fig.  4  represents  a  sin-ular 
work,  resen.bjing  a  RpUier  in  shape,  found  in  the  northeastern 


CutB. 


r  pnin  tings 
I'erliangs  a 
iles  6011th- 
tlie  Missia- 
iiie  shut  in 
urf  shrubs. 
y  nrrnnged 
group  are 
oglyphical 
17  I'cmark- 

linted  rep- 
Uce  of  the 
of  these, 
i'  of  color, 
ired  much 
be  easily 
i'C8  whicli 
n  in  Indi- 
3  "Wabash 
vn  to  the 
ference  to 


NATIONAL  M2A10CIAL. 


jmeteriea, 
i»n,  which 
the  8ontl> 
i  singular 
theastern 


CCT  X 


niEROGLTrHlCAL  PAINTINO, 


i'  fl 


ti 
It 


^nRROGLTPirioAL  PAmriKas. 


'^"t  1  comprises  views «,f  «.„..         '  ^ 

loms;  „nd  Fig,  2  is  of    ",„'"'"  "'''"^  <"<«'  of  St 
'e.Tace  of  R,,eL.,.; ;;;--:"  °"""'=-  "■>  "•»  -oond 

-«n,e,„e„t  of  an  °ex.o„  J^^TjJ '  ^^^  C"'  S  sho^e  the 

ST;:d7r''''''^''^™''-*''      "    '"'"■"' 

--■.V  of  CasswneTr;^;::::^^  K-  e%ies  ,„„„d  ,•„  .„e 
'•"e.-,  .-...d  tl,e  Wab^el,  ri.e  and '^l  /"'■'"  ''  """"  ""  Rock 
nortliein  Illinois,  '  ""''  "''°""'J»  '»  Wisconsin  and 

Cuts  P  nnd  X  sliow  fl 

borof  w„,.„s,occ.,™S„,.,ro^"c"l  rZ-'T  *^  '""">  "m- 
'fP«sentsan„„fi„is,,,d  ,„'•;»';  ''''■"•Wisconsin.  CtX 
••"■ei--  g'onpof  iire  bunal-monnds,  on  Pl„„b 

'  onally  .-epi-esonted  to  l,a™  |Z    '      ^""""^i".  «n<l  tradi- 
I' has  been  ,„..■„„,,.  .Z^^  "  ''■^'■"=»-'  f-'-al  circl,. 
T^^c„tonp.06p,,3„,^„      ;^ 

"JO  sacuficial  pentagon, 


232 


ANTTQrARIAN  RIWRAnrnKB. 


ifa 


vrb.cl.  js  Bccn  jn  tl.o  vicinity  of  tl.o  fcntivnl  circle,  vvl.id.  haa 
bc.n  a  ready  descnlKHl  in  tl.o  ce.on.onicB  of  the   ,onta,:„ 

in  tl.^.;  r'^T\  ^^'"'"  "'  '■'"""  '''■'^"■"^•^  «'•'*"!-,  which  occur 
m  to  order  and  reh.t.vo  ponition  here  indicate,  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  great  crons-work  seen  on  the  head-waters  of  ll.o  Kicka- 
JK>o  .-.ver,  m  Wisconsin,  and  at  tho  intersection  of  fonr  ™ 
o  .neal  monnds  These  groups  aro  traditionally  repn.  f^ 
a  h.eroglyph.cal  and  as  hearing  record  of  war  and  .  c"^ 
coiKpiest  and  extinction.  I'^ice, 

Toward  tho  southeast  arc  two  effigies,  separated  l.ynn  intm. 

)nod.ato  n.ou„<l,  and  surrounded  l\y  trun lated  w    ks     This 

.     records  tho  n.ediation  of  a  third  pa.'y  hetwoen  v'o  pr 

0  pal  eon. ha tants;  and  as  tl.o  forn,  of  tl.o  area  en<.|o  ed     y 

tho  tr.n.cated  n.ounds,  eo.Tesponds  to  that  of  the  i..ter         a  "^ 

Ctsstu  Ij ,  ,n  a  co.npi-o,n,«o  or  division  of  territory     Thn  ,...„ 
nu.at.on  of  tho  lineal  ranges  dive.-ging  tVo.n  tl  1  L.t.t  ^  ^ 
tho   .n,.ts  or  boundaries  of  tho  divided  to.Tito.-y. 

The  g.-oup  seen  toward  tho  northeast,  V.e.us  record  of  treaty 
in  tl.o  p,-esenco  of  treaty  nien.orial  nu.u.uls,  between  wlddl 

J^entod  jnovb^,  with  extended  wings,  Ml  up.^  t  i    I  :•; 

point  of  tho  national  inound  of  extinction.  ^ 

Wo  n.ay  hero  remark,  that  this  t.mlitional  explanation  of 

ho  h  eroglyph.cal  record,  receives  conflr.nation  from  tho  fact 

hoZZ  ^'  T^'"'"  ^'''  "'"^'■"^°''  ^«  Vri^^outod  as  double- 

headed,  ,n  che  southeastern  division  of  tho  territory  thcro  dl 
fined  ;  and  also  occupies  a  corresponding  position  ati  th    ll 

fo^dn^/r  ";;''"''  "■'  traditional,  o..acular  mound. 

Bl  0  Ear  'i  '7  '  i  ^""'''  "'  ""'^'''''''''^  ^'"'"''^"^^  -  the 
liluo  La.  h,  u  Nebraska,  remarkable  for  the  unus.ml  nuantitv 
of  irnca  iound  deposited  within  it.  quantity 


wliicli  Imfl 
tontngon. 
liicli  occur 
llio  vicinity 

tlic  Kickii- 
'unr  niM^o8 
cprcHciitotl 

Hid    ])OUCO, 

•J  nn  infcr- 
rkH.  This 
>  two  ])iiii.. 
icIoHtMl  hy 
jnntHliato, 

Ulfcd    8UC- 

Tlio  con- 
tio,  nmiks 

of  ti'oafy, 
)on  which 
on  of*  tho 

A  royal 
1(1, 18  rcp- 
;ho  Bliarp 

mtlon  of 
I  tho  fact 
ss  in  tliig 
ir  eagles 
i  doublo- 
thcro  do- 
lls j)laco, 
'caco,  re- 
mound, 
rl  on  tho 
"luantity 


VVT  J. 


NATIONAL  «VM„o,^^ 


1 

1 

Cot  I. 


NATIONAL  MEMOBlALa 


t.^  .  iiiii 

i 

^lli' 

* 

i 

1 

1 

p 

a 


ramooLTPTOii,  PAmTWM. 


Cut  F,  fig.  1  shows  th  exploration.  , 

rounds  at  and  diverging  from  tjlr!  ^'''*r  ^^  *^«  ^^^ritoriat 
of  msconein.    Ti^es^e  effilTlr!r.°^'^'"°^"^^"^^^e«gle» 

-monumental  men^orialsoWe^^^^^^ 
and  separate  domains.  TheTw  f'"' °''"^^^°^  ^'^^^^^^ 
described  in  the  details  of  eLo'f-  ^'''^  f^'^^Y  Partially 
add  that  the  double-headed  'ffi  ^'''"'  '"^  ^«  ^^ve  only  t6 
f^  that  of  the  conqueror  ruHnf.^^  "  tmditionally  recogn.C 
f-Iects,  with  both'of  wh  ch /e  tdTh-"  T."''"^  ^^^--^ 
IS  shown  by  the  transfer  to  fhl  ^         '"^'^^^  ^^™"'a»--    This 

qnered  or  decapitated  eagle      "^''  ''  ^'^  ^^^^  ^^  the  bon  • 
Cut  C  -fi     11,        '^"s^c. 

^-ibed,  Si;:tZ:tS^t  of  a  group  pre;iousl, 

2  gives  views  of  what  are     adi«on!n  """''"'  "^°"°^-    ^'^S- 
cemeteries,  or  funerd  moundf  f        ^  represented  as  firf- 
The  three  connected  circX  wL     '"  ""^'^^^^^^  condition 
•      of  Straddle  creek,  C    rot  clf'  T  ''"'^'  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^ 
with  appended  crescents,  wMch  tre""!!  ^'"^  *^^  ^^'^^e, 
form  circles  when  completed  on  ^'''^"""^  'designed  to 

-iles  north  of  that  poKCS  "'  'fl'  ^'^^^   '-^red 
J^entlty  of  form  and  ar^t  H^^lj^  f  ^-nesota.    This 

f  f  early  national  migration  orll!''  ''"""^  evidence 

;^n  the  existence  of  co'rrespo^d^nrcusr  '"f '^"^^  ^^---"> 
distant  localities.  ^        ^  '''''*^"'S  and  funeral  rites  in 

pnLl  ek'^es^Vo^Cn  thetc  ^^  ^^*"'  -nu- 
Io^va  river,  about  thirty  milellr"^  '''''''  ^^  ^he  upper 
t'^^  state  of  Iowa :  they  ZZ.2     T  ''  ^'''  Atkinson,^^       ■ 
"mental  heroes.    Fi^  2  '1  !'"^  ^'"^"^'^ated  monu 

;'-ka  ontheplaiJof'th^B^r^^^^^^^^        ^^'•^^--^-^  of  ^ 
those  of  Cii-cleville,  Ohio,  tradltfoln  T' "'"^^^^ 
f^'^  of  peace,  and  descr  bed    Hhi^  r?^'^''^^  ^^'^  *«»? 
(Chapter  X.)  ^'^  '^e  details  of  exploration 

presents  views  of  the  forms  an^  » 

•    -owa  and  mvlr ''"i^^^em. 


pent! 


a  series  of  earth- 


works 


-hrciska. 


ig.  1  was  taken  from 


"Pon  the  highland  of  Turkey 


river ; 


m» 


AXn4VIkmAM  BB8EARCHBB. 


«g.  2,  froim  the  plains  of  tbe  Blue  Earth  river;  and  fig  3 
from  a  second  terrace  of  Big  Cedar  rirer,  south  of  Fort  Atkinl 
«oto,  m  Iowa.    There  are,  in  those  regions,  numerous  small 
works,  of  serpentine  form,  of  which  the  cut  presents  the  mosi 
common  types. 

Cuts  AA  and  BB,  are  plans  and  views  of  some  of  the  most 
Intcrestmg  tumuli  of  Venezuela,  in  South  America,  already 
described  under  the  head  of  South  American  tumuli.  These 
present,  as  will  be  observed,  in  U.eir  general  arrangement, 
striking  resemblances  to  many  of  the  earth-works  of  North 
America. 

Cuts  CO  and  DD,  are  views  of  monumental  title  memorials 
as  seen  m  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Wisconsin.  They  have  been 
pai-ticttlarly  described  is  Chapter  XIII. 


THE  KAETH-WOEKS  OF  OHIO. 


239 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE   EARTII-WOEKS   OF  OHIO. 

especial  i„,o,.est  1„,  all  I;,!      '       .  ""«  '"""  '"l^'"''<"i  "'iA 

<"■  «.e  Wide  plains  „,  fe.  lie "!  ?  '  '"'--'da ,vl,„  „„„,  j,,,, 
tlie  relics o<'.,e  ancient «!?*"' '•'•''8''°"  »"  ™'>  i- 
of  tl,e  raonnd-bnildero  to  vf '     '°  '''"f  ''"""  '"«1"*  J"l»., 

»»  beet  witl,  blind  vet  ,„,"'""'  '!°'''  '"diffoi-ence,  or 
..  u una.jet  nnqncslioninKivondei- 
in  Europe,  it  would  not  be  tln.s     w 

Implements  lil<e  tl,„se  wbici,  crowd  tl     rT-  ""'""'''  »"''  <''"■ 
eoverod  in  England,  or  Z  anTp    °  ™"°  ™"^^>.'°  ''o  d- 

wonia  devote  «  "^^ll^tl^ ^.^i'r  n,:"ef  "'j"""'"^'-^"' 
Oiigm,  design,  and  Inslorv  of  Jc.,tl  elncidation  of  tha 

«er;  and  it  is  probable  Lfl'""'^^™;-?'™'''""-  »  '=h«™c. 
tl.e  Atlantic,  i„d  iud'.ce  A         '       °    '"q"iO' would  cos, 

antiquities  of  a„otl'rc:,„tr;i'Tt'V°''"'"^'°  '"'^  '»  '"» 
tion  wl.ici,  it  has  l,itl,e,t„  bee   '.!  i  m    f '"'  "^  """"'*  «"«- 

in.i.e,„  fo,.  .1.0  antiq:;.i:s:r"t,:;:'f!™"«'"^™"^- *»"->'- 

"ided  b,.l,efunds   ft  eS,°t  son       ;■'"'. °'  ^''■"'™""'.  G'"A 
<li«g.a.ns  of  these  wo  is  1         "     "  '"*"""'■""•  '^'^"-e-'ecutcl 

.no,e  extended  and  cXa  1,  v '  ,     T"-  '°*°  ""'«•  »'"• 
prebendin,  „  ,„,,.,.  ,        "'  "•''""'^'•'■ou  is  .yet  desbable.  „„™. 

°  ■"     ""'  ""«'^'' '"™-    TWs  would  lead  us  to'raor; 


240 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEAEOHKfl. 


satisfactory  conclusions  respecting  the  original  design  and  use 
of  these  works,  and  perhaps  assist  us  in  accounting  for  their 
peculiar  arrangement,  and  the  variety  of  materials  employed 
in  their  construction.  Most  of  the  surveys  heretofore  made 
have  been  of  detached  groups,  or  isolated  single  works;  these 
have  served  rather  to  exhibit  some  peculiarities  of  structure, 
or  complicated  arrangement  of  the  several  parts,  than  to  lead 
to  any  general  knowledge  of  their  primitive  use,  or  to  explain 
the  relations  which  the  several  groups  bear  to  each  other,  or 
to  the  whole  system  of  works  of  which  they  constitute  the" 
parts. 

The  discovery  of  numerous  points  of  resemblance,  or  of 
identity,  in  tiie  arrangement  and  form  of  earth-works,  in 
groups  remote  from  each  other,  scattered  over  an  extensive 
territory,  aids  to  determine  their  common  nationality,  so  far 
as  respects  the  region  over  which  such  observation  extends. 

That  these  works  were  not  all  constructed  for  one  purpose, 
or  with  one  design,  is  evident  from  the  variety  of  materials 
employed,  the  diversity  of  stratification,  and  from  the  numer- 
ous and  dissimilar  combinations  into  which  the  same  forms  of 
single  mounds  are  found  to  enter  in  groups  adjacent  and  re- 
mote ;  and  this  conclusion  is  further  established  by  the  dis- 
covery of  extensive  ranges  of  mounds,  extending  sometimes  in 
direct  and  continuous  lines  for  several  hundreds  of  miles,  con^ 
sisting  of  small  truncated  mounds,  occasionally  varied  by  ef* 
figies,  or  works  of  singular  form  and  arrangement. 

These  small  mounds,  destitute  of  stratification  and  of  all 
traces  of  primitive  deposite,  and  universally  constructed  of 
earth  similar  to  that  which  immediately  surrounds  them,  in- 
dicate unity  of  design  in  the  lineal  ranges  in  which  they'are 
disposed.  And  there  is  little  doubt  that  these  ranges  were 
constructed  as  division  lines,  or  land-marks  between  adjacent 
territories,  kingdoms,  or  tribes.  Tiiis  is  evident,  not  only 
from  the  vast  extent  of  territory  which  these  lines  include, 
but  from  the  character  of  the  symbols  or  effigies  which  are 
always  found  at  points  where  the  principal  lines  intersect 
each  other,  or  are  joined  by  lines  diverging  laterally,  as  seen 
m  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  and  Circleville,  in  Ohio. 


THE   KARTH-WORKS   OF   OniO.  j^j 

-uuai  .4.i:„  w ,  :„  r.er"'V"^  "^ '""' «'"'  «>«- 

tl.e  month  of  May  mo  t      ,    .  ""^  ""oWryed  until,  .„ 

e..t:irvf;™f  ;:::•»«  i)o.„o-d„Mrnccd «.«., 

•I;«  <•■■"  onsw,  I  visit  To-. eS'  ^'cT'^.-'J  I»™.  ■•" 
oftesting  tlio  tnitl,  „f  f,..„l;.'  '         '""'  "'*  "'«  <'«»ign 

tl.»  i.nx,ad,,  made  |,„  „  tivZl  T"'""  "i''  >'"P"'»'™-  «nd 
tification  of  11,0  wo,  k  °"?      f  .Jf  °"''  T'^'""^  '''«"•'  '*«■ 

"nd  Ci,oIeyil.e,  and  eo™  s"„c  £  ^dis  °°"  "'"'  1»'"' 
fined  mound  al,o„t  t^yo  miles  notthfp"""^  "  «"■*- 
<=.'""ty;  pr„.cedi„s  on  a  d,,e  *?,"'"' "^^'''™  ^^etto 
called  tl,eRattl„,S,rake  „„ddL  ■  '°  '"  "  ™""  «"-™"' 
tn.«d,  we  e.a,„i„ed  , I'ewe'rr""^  ""  r*'  ""  *«  ""« 

"«  ln.e,  we  dis<,„yZi  a  iT  T  l]'  ""<!  "  '""f  «»"*  »f 

V'tion,  to  e.a„,i„e  tl,e  kXlth^n?   r'*'"^  ""'■  "»«- 
needed  in  di8coye,.i„„  „h  °  1^,1        •■  "'  *"''  «  ^■«- 

-.le  «f  Aest,-eam,a  mo"  Tof  ir  "  ?,""*'  °"  "'«  ^"^ 

proceeded  west  to  tl,e  iZh      ?        """'''  "'  B"""™'-    ^Vo 

F..*  of  ti,e  ti't :  'iii  ':f  rr  ";  ^"'  *»*  °f ^o^^'" 

''■"■■kof  «,e  ,™^  in  all,     ,!  J"  "'"covered   tie  third 
mii,  southeast  ::rm,:j:lTtT  "'"""  ""^  ''»»•  °f  »    ' 
proceeded  vest  to  the  ™,S„'„f 'Cd'  'Tf  '  "'»""'«  «'« 
an,i,al,o„t  one  and  a  1  aiflTes  n™if  J  ^"■'5"'*  "'«  ^I'" 
>f  that  riye,.  we  found  "".  ™'''  °"  "'»  ""«« 


61 


16 


fourth  wo.k.     We  then,  with 


242 


ANTIQFATtlAlT  RE8EARCHK8. 


the  assistance  of  a  pocket-compass,  retraced  the  line,  and  be- 
came fully  convinced  that  it  was,  in  fact,  a  lineal  range.  Wo 
returned  to  Circleville,  and  about  seven  miles  east  of  that 
place,  we  found  a  well-defined  lineal  mound.  Then  tracing 
a  line  two  degrees  south  of  east,  in  about  five  miles,  we  dis- 
covered a  second,  and  a  third  about  seven  miles  farther  on, 
following  the  same  course.  We  then  retraced  our  steps,  and 
were  convinced  that  this  too  was  a  lineal  range. 

Having  become  fully  satisfied  as  to  the  concentration  of 
lineal  ranges  at  or  near  this  point,  and  in  the  belief  that  fu- 
ture  investigations  will  abundantly  substantiate  the  correct- 
ness of  my  conclusions,  I  proceed  to  lay  before  my  readei-s 
some  diagrams  of  the  more  local  works  of  that  valley  — plans 
of  which  I  had  previously  exhibited  to  De-coo-dah.  For  a 
more  extended  notice  of  the  antiquities  of  the  immediate  val- 
ley of  the  Scioto,  I  refer  my  readers  to  the  first  volume  of  the 
published  contributions  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

Cut  U,  fig.  2,  is  the  copy  of  a  sketch  drawn  on  the  ice  by 
De-coo-dah,  and  by  him  represented  to  be  the  plan  of  a  royal 
cemetery  formerly  to  be  seen  on  the  east  side  of  the  Scioto 
river,  north  of  Circleville.  I  suppose  that  this  has  been  par- 
tially, if  not  entirely  destroyed,  in  the  progress  of  cultivation. 
This  work  is  traditionally  represented  to  have  been  designed, 
when  complete,  to  receive  in  deposite  the  remains  of  eight 
kings;  but  it  was  abandoned  when  yet  unfinished. 

The  outlines  of  the  main  work,  as  seen  in  the  drawing, 
present  the  exact  form  of  the  great  cross  seen  at  the  intersec- 
tion of  four  lineal  ranges  in  Wisconsin.  The  latter,  however, 
is  not  accompanied  by  the  smaller  works  which  are  seen  ap- 
pended in  the  cut.  These  are  represented  to  have  contained 
the  remains  of  eight  prophets,  presented  in  the  order  of  their 
burial  (in  the  unbroken  union  of  monumental  points),  as  de- 
scended in  one  common  genealogical  line,  through  successive 
generations. 

Fig.  1,  Cut  U,  represents  a  remarkable  ef&gy  found  near 
Granville,  Licking  county,  Ohio.  This  work  is  situated  on  a 
prominent  point  of  the  highland,  commanding  an  extensive 
view  of  the  surrounding  country.     Various  names  have  been 


THE   EARTH-WORKS   OF  OHIO.  243 

cut.    Tl,ei-o  is  a  small  T.    <■    .         **"''"  "  «'"=»  "'  «'« 

-e  s„„pose  toMt'aStCri.-t:;^:  ™*'  "^'«" 
liaWng  eliown  me  tint  Mm  ;„.    •  '         '"y  excavations 

eelf  if  of  stone?      1    ed  ^'T    n'"'""  "'  "'"  "^^^  "- 

Binking  atscnc  points  ,!  twrlntl'lfT  "      T  '■"■='"'• 
oent,.o  and  end  o/tl,o  tai,  it  is  oven  le'r      "''  '"'  "^'"-  "'^ 

of  Turkey  river  and  in  th.\         J       '     ""''  ^^"^  "PPer  sources 

l.ne ;  and  another,  on  the  second  ZnZ  of  th  #"'""  '"'■ 
not  very  remote  from  stone;  but  neitrer  of  tl  ^'^^^?'"'^^' 
Bents  any  stonework  in  any  par   of  h?'  .  '''''^''  l^^'^' 

Fix'  ^  r.,fTT  •        .      •^r^'^^^*''e>i-con8trnction. 

entire  length,  „.„ei„g  th^^entL Id  7n  '"  *''"  «'"'  "» 
U.0  coil  of  tl,e  tail,  is  one  , ho,"  nd  and  "7  "">  '"""  »^ 
t.e  of  the  body  it  s  neariv  tl  2  f  t  •  "i  f*"' '  '"  "">  ""n- 
and  about  five  in  neme  L  ^^i      ."'  """''  "'  *^  !"•«»> 

and  sinking  towa^/^Cr":/:,!'' S're'^  T™"'"^ 
tlio  imaginary  tail.    w„,.i,,  „.   '.         '*°"'>  '»rag  lowest  at 

occur  in  lowa'and  NetaU  '"  "''•™^'^'  ''"l-^'^ 

One  of  the  most  singular  featm-PQ  ;«  *i 
work,  is  the  pecniiar  fL  of  tto  vor"        "Tr""""  "^""•» 

traditionally  said  to  represent  I™     vTtlfel  1  •""  t""' 

eerpcntinc  effl"i<»  .l,.,/, •,..,..  .  .     .>'  "'  ""'  tortoise.    The 

° "'  """"""  >n  io»-»,  Wisconsin,  and  Na- 


244 


ANTIQUARIAN   EK8KARCIIKS. 


braska,  whether  constructed  of  solid  earth-work,  or  portrayed 
in  the  arrangement  of  truncated  mounds,  are  universally  ac- 
companied by  one  or  more  of  these  elongated  oval  works ; 
and  wherever  they  appear  in  solid  earth-work,  this  figure  is 
appended  to  the  head  or  at  the  larger  end.  Now  here,  in 
Ohio,  at  a  point  not  less  than  seven  hundred  miles  distant 
from  any  known  work  of  the  kind,  this  singular  feature  is 
faithfully  preserved.  I  first  visited  this  work  in  the  year 
1832,  and  revisited  it  in  1849,  with  a  view  of  satisfying  my 
curiosity  in  regard  to  this 'feature  which  was  represented  by 
De-coo-dah  as  an  inseparable  appendage;  he  stated  that  this 
union  of  symbols  originated  in  the  fact  that  both  were  insep- 
arably associated  as  objects  of  worship,  and  that  works  of  this 
kind  were  always  constructed  in  high  places  where  sacrifices 
were  offered. 

And  this  representation  is  abundantly  verified  here,  not 
only  in  the  remaining  impression  of  intense  heat  on  the  stones 
that  lie  adjacent  to  the  work,  but  also  in  similar  impressions 
apparent  on  the  surface  of  the  interior  structure.  In  conver- 
sation with  De  coo-dah  relative  to  tliis  fact,  he  observed  that 
when  the  worshippers  of  rept  s  were  reduced  by  the  for- 
tunes of  war,  and  compelled  to  recognise  the  sun,  moon,  and 
heavenly  bodies  as  the  only  objects  worthy  of  adoration,  they 
secretly  entombed  their  gods  in  the  earth-work  symbols 
which  represented  the  heavenly  bodies;  and  that  those 
earthen  symbols  were  arranged  in  the  relative  position  o# 
those  selected  in  the  heavens ;  and  that  the  selection  of  deities 
was  granted  to  all,  and  that  when  a  suflBcient  number  united 
in  choice  of  the  same  stars,  they  constructed  their  symbols  in 
conformity  with  that  choice.  And  he  then  remarked,  that  he 
supposed  that  a  large  number  fled  before  their  conquerors, 
and  established  themselves  for  awhile  in  that  remote  region, 
where  they  were  permitted  to  indulge  in  the  use  of  their  fa- 
vorite symbols;  but  upon  the  advance  of  their  enemies,  when 
the  hope  of  retaining  their  favorite  form  of  worship  could  no 
longer  be  indulged,  they  buried  their  gods  and  fled,  leaving 
many  behind  who  buried  their  deities,  and  were  thus  enabled 
secretly  to  worship  them  in  the  midst  of  their  conquerors. 


portrayed 
rsally  ac- 
il  works  i 
figure  is 
r  liere,  in 
58  distant 
feature  is 
the  year 
ying  my 
lented  by 
that  this 
re  insep- 
ks  of  this 
sacrifices 

lere,  not 
he  stones 
pressions 
1  conver- 
"ved  that 

the  for- 
oon,  and 
ion,  they 

symbols 
at  those 
sition  or 
of  deities 
sr  united 
mbols  in 
1,  that  he 
iquerors, 
e  region, 

their  fa- 
es,  when 
could  no 
,  leaving 

enabled 
rors. 


Cut  U. 


EFFIGIES  OF  OniO. 


Cut  T. 


EESIDENTUL  CIRCLES. 


KABTU-WOBKfl   OF  OHIO. 


247 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

TIIK   KAR'm-WOKK8  OF  OHIO   (CONTINUED). 
RtTLINO   prophet's    RESIDENT   CIRCLE. 

/J^IIIS  work  is  Situated  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  and  is  near 

twelvo  feot,  with  a  base  diameter  of  fortv  fl!l  ,  '  "" 
area  of  twem,  aces.  The  V^r^lL!^^::^^^^ 
bankment  that  forms  the  great  circle  wna  <=,v  f    .    ";  ^"^  em- 

twenty  aces     Tl.ore  are  five  email  circles  in  the  vicinitv  „f 
the  ™,„  work,  varying  i„  dian,eter  fro,„  two   Idrc"  'and 
fifty  to  B.xty  feet;  these  are  Bimilar  inform  with  th. 
t.on  of  one  that  pre»enta,  at  iu  entrant  r»e,„n!a,irT; 
innerextensionof  wall.  eiongation  or 

Adjacent  to  one  of  the  small  circles  we  fin.1  o  ♦    • 
double  circle,  with  an  adjacent  conicallLThri:",:: 
a  small  circle  attached  to  one  of  the  lonr.  wnli. 

rare  and  singular  arranc^ement     T      T^  '  P''^^«"^"'^ « 

foiiiai  rtiiangement,     ihe  two  lon^  walls  i-nnn;,,.- 

parallel  w.th  each  other  and  commnnicating  wiU^  h     "a    5 
In  presenting  the  outlines  of  this  work  to  T)p  .nn  ^  i    , 

circles  idj^cirt  Jo^e^ll:  ,:  .^Lf.J^r-  ?^  ^^^  -^11 
?ion  of  the  great  circle,  his  ^l^^^;^  ''•^^'  '"'-'"^  ^^'^  -- 
in  honorable  commemoration  of  which 


lie  ordered  the 


sons 


erec- 


Ill 


S48 


ANTIQUABIAN   ItKflKARCHES. 


tion  of  the  twin  circles,  to  which  ho  nppeiuled  as  niirsery 
circlo,  tho  old  residential;  that  in  nftor  tinio  ho  attached  a 
residential  circlo  to  tho  fostival  square,  tor  his  first  born,  that 
ho  might  aid  him  in  tho  government  of  tho  peoplo.  IIo  uIho 
erected  a  circlo  for  tho  second  born,  to  which  ho  appended 
tho  seal  of  sncccssion,  set  in  the  inner  curves  of  his  circlo. 
And  to  tho  one  of  long  walls  of  secret  secluwion,  he  appended 
tho  sacred  circlo  of  prophetical  widowhood,  in  honor  of  tho 
mother  of  tho  twins. 


HOLY  crry. 

This  stupendous  oarth-work  (shown  in  Cut  Z,  fig.  3)  is  tra- 
ditionally represented  to  have  been  tho  encircling  safeguard, 
or  rampart  of  a  holy  city.  This,  like  tho  former,  is  sihuited 
in  Ross  county  ;  but  it  encloses  a  much  larger  area,  and  is  of 
more  complicated  form. 

Tho  large  circle  is  thirty-five  hundred  feet  in  diameter, 
"With  eleven  exterior  openings;  and  the  small  circle  eight 
hundred  feet  in  diameter  communicating  with  the  large 
circle,  but  having  no  exterior  entrance. 

The  whole  work,  as  will  be  perceived,  comprises  two  circles, 
a  semicircle,  and  a  square.  Within  the  semicircle  there  is  an 
embankmentrosembling,  in  outline,  a  crescent,  or  a  new  moon ; 
and  there  is  a  sacrificial  altar  ai)pended  to  a  national  mound 
within  the  larger  circular  enclosure,  and  between  it  and  the 
square. 

The  smaller  circlo  is  traditionally  represented  to  have  sur- 
rounded the  secluded  residence  of  the  ruling  prophet.  The 
larger  circle  enclosed  holy  or  consecrated  ground,  where  daily 
intercourse  was  liad  with  the  prophets ;  and  it  was  occupied 
by  such  as  bore  rule,  and  were  highly  favored  by  the  people. 

The  square  appended  to  a  circle  was  universally  set  apart 
as  a  place  of  public  resort,  where  all  might  join  in  feasting 
and  merry-making. 


i  I 


Cut  V. 


^Ei^t^  0#d<SO<dfta  m  A  AAAAAAAA*  AA^ 

— ~ 

!           •  •  • 

.    .....       -— . 

• 

• 

e                                                                     ^      »•  •  w  w  • 

OOTTENBUKQ  WOKKS,  IOWA. 


Crx  a 


■WORKS  OF  PEARIE  DU  CUIEN. 


in  IB! 

il: 

IM 


CELESTIAL   CITY.  -  FESTIVAL   CII.CLES. 
CELESTIAL   CITT. 


251 


The  eqnare  is  twelve  hundred  feet  in  diameter     The  r.K 
imeter     Tl  '    ,    "         ''^  "«'"^™   ''"'"J'"!!  feet  in  di- 

^u^t-edf^tin^ri:;:* '''""''  *»  '^^  --=-  ^^  ^'^ 

cated  t„,e  „.  of  sncT.  a'a'tere' not™  LS' Vlter  t 
c,reie,  and  were  regarded  as  the  representatives  oftlt 

t  J!-"'i" '^.°°'°°°""'  P"''°f«'e  circle,  I  And  the  ,esiden 


FESTIVAL    CIRCLES. 

Another  work,  in  Boss  eonnty,  presents  in  ontline  two 
c^r  es,  a  semicircle  and  square,  diffi-in.  from  til  o"!  'L 
«  rte  manner  in  which  the  circles  are  connected   oV  tr    "^ 

The  two  crcles  adjacent  to  each  other  are  separa  cdt;' „„ 


253 


ANTIQUAEIAN  BESEABCHES. 


unbroken  enbankment.  "While  tliey  tluis  remain  unconnected 
witli  each  otlier,  they  are  yet  both  connected  with  the  square. 
They  have  neither  altar,  residential  circle,  nor  ensign  of  roy- 
alty, enclosed. 

This  arrangement  is  traditionally  represented  to  be  exclu- 
sively festival;  the  larger  circle  dedicated  to  feasts  of  the 
sun,  the  smaller  to  the  moon,  the  semicircle  to  the  stars,  and 
the  square  to  ordinary  festivities. 

The  walls  enclose  an  area  of  about  twenty-seven  acres. 
They  are  much  defeced  by  the  ravages  of  time  ;  their  present 
perpendicular  altitude  being  about  six  feet. 

There  are  many  smaller  works  near  by,  and  several  larger 
ones  in  the  neighbo-hood.  That  which  seems  to  have  at- 
tracted most  attention,  is  denominated  mound  city  by  the 
surrounding  inhabitants;  many  curiosities  have  been  ob- 
tained from  it,  with  specimens  of  sculpture  of  a  higher  order 
than  is  often  executed  b}^  savage  nations. 

"Within  this  octagonal  enclosure  we  find  an  elongated  sacri- 
ficial altar,  surrounded  by  representations  of  the  seven  stars. 
This  indicates  high  reverence  for  that  group. 

In  the  vicinity  we  find  a  prophets'  residential  circle,  a  fu- 
neral circle,  four  conical  residentials,  and  six  burial  mounds, 
three  of  which  are  engrouped. 

T.,Q  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars,  with  the  ancient  Ameri- 
can, were  all  objects  of  adoration;  and  all  had  their  temples 
and  altars,  of  divers  forms,  and  various  dimensions. 

Thus  arranged,  they  presented  to  view  by  day  the  represen- 
tations of  those  deified  luminaries,  as  the  objects  of  universal 
adoration  ;  and  Lhey  were  made  the  receptacle  of  holy  relics, 
many  specimens  of  vdiich  have  been  procured  from  them  by 
excavation.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  reckless  hand  of  the 
curious  antiquarian  had  not  been  stayed  before  such  havoc 
was  made  in  this  once  beautiful  group. 

This  work  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Chillicothe.  It  is  enclosed 
by  a  wall,  now  much  defixced.  The  area  enclosed  is  neither 
round  nor  square,  but  partakes  of  both  forms,  and  contains 
about  thirteen  acres,  M'ith  an  east  and  west  entrance ;  and  it 
surrounds  twenty-three  earth-works,  that  are  traditionally  de- 


KOYAL   UNION   CITY, 


253 


nominated  the  tombs  of  the  gods  (with  the  exception  of  one 
elongated  sacrificial  work);  the  remainder  of  the  enclosed 
works  bemg  truncated  or  conical  mounds. 


KOYAL   UNION  CITY. 

This  large  and  interesting  monument  of  antiquity  is  also 
situated  on  the  north  fork  of  Paint  creek,  a  tribntafy  of  the 
fecioto.^  It  encloses  an  area  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
acres,  its  general  outline  being  that  of  a  parallelogram  in  con- 
nection with  a  square. 

"There,"  said  Dc-coo-dah,  pointing  to  the  semicircle  work 
enclosed  within  the  great  parallelogram,  "on  the  summit  of 
three  g.-eat  embankments  dwelt  in  state  three  rulin<.  mon- 
archs.  The  four  smaller  mounds  enclosed  within  the  crescent 
stand  as  birth  memorials  of  their  male  issue. 

"Two  of  these  sovereigns  olFered  sacrifice  to  the  stars  on 
^.e  dtars  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  parallelogram, 
while  the  other  sacrificed  to  the  moon,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
prophets  residential  circle.  This  prophet,  being  one  of  the 
most  holy  known  in  the  order  of  prophets  who  officiated  in 
the  oifering  of  sacrifice  alone,  was  permitted  to  dwell  upon  a 
royal  mound  within  the  sacred  circle. 

^  "The  entrance  te  the  parallelogram  adjacent  to  the  sacred 
circle  being  consecrated  to  the  use  of  prophets  only,  is  also 
guarded  by  a  sacrificial  altar.  The  nine  mounds  in  the  vL 
cinity  of  the  semicircle  were  located  with  reference  to  the  rel- 
nav.  position  in  the  heavens  that  the  deified  stars  bear  te  the 
meridian  moon;  they  are  composed  of  and  contain  the  ashes 
01  the  ofl^erings  made  te  those  deified  luminaries.  The  mound 
located  without  the  walls,  near  the  junction  of  the  square 

:::^h  '^i::^^'''''^  ^^^  ^^™^^  ^-^^  ^'^  ^--  i-t«  of 

O    * 

The  festival  square  is  of  ordinary  dimension,  and  much  im- 
paired by  the  ravages  of  time.  The  large  cluster  of  burial 
mounds  in  the  vicinity,  is  indicative  of  a  numerous  popula- 
tion. Ihe  crescent  work,  enclosed  within  the  parallelogram, 
enclosing  the  three  residential  and  four  memorials,  differs 


^54 


ANTIQTJARIAN  EESEAECHES. 


from  other  crescent  works  by^  the  addition  of  an  unbroken 
wall  running  across,  and  connecting  the  two  horns  or  points 
of  the  crescent,  thereby  enclosing  the  area  within,  with  an 
entrance  near  the  centre  of  the  semi-circular  wall.  The  area 
enclosed  within  the  main  wall  of  the  parallelogram,  is  twenty- 
eight  by  eighteen  hundred  feet  in  diameter. 

This  great  work,  being  in  a  very  broken  and  dilapidated 
condition,  and  my  survey  of  the  premises  being  a  partial 
one,  I  refer  the  reader  to  the  plan  given  by  Dr.  Davis  and 
Mr.  Squiers,  in  their  published  contribution  to  the  Smithso- 
nian Institution. 

pkopiiet's  metropolis. 

This  work  is  situated  near  Newark,  Licking  county,  Ohio, 
and  occupies  an  area  of  nearly  two  miles  square.  Its  arrange- 
ment will  be  comprehended  by  reference  to  the  diagram  given 
in  Cut  Y.  It  consists  of  three  principal  divisions,  connected 
by  parallel  walls  and  smaller  works.  The  parallel  walls  and 
detached  portions  of  the  works  generally,  as  well  as  the  small 
circles,  are  very  slight,  rarely  exceeding  four  feet  in  height; 
but  the  embankments  of  the  principal  or  regular  portions  of 
the  work,  are  much  heavier.  Those  of  the  larger  circular 
work,  are  generally  about  twelve  feet  high,  and  fifty  feet  in 
thickness  at  the  base,  enclosing  an  interior  ditch  seven  feet 
deep  by  thirty  wide. 

At  the  gateway  or  entrance  of  this  large  circle,  however, 
the  walls  are  much  higher  than  at  any  other  point,  being  not 
less  than  sixteen  feet  in  perpendicular  altitude,  with  a  ditch 
of  thirteen  feet  in  depth,  giving,  from  the  bottom  of  the  ditch 
to  the  top  of  the  embankment,  an  actual  height  of  thirty  feet 
at  this  time.    What  a  towering  wall  must  this  once  have  been  1 

The  walls  of  the  lesser  circle  are  in  general  about  six  feet 
high,  and  are  without  a  ditch.  The  walls  of  the  octagonal 
enclosure,  as  well  as  of  the  square,  are  .ibout  five  and  a  half 
feet  high,  and  these,  too,  are  without  ditches,  either  interior 
or  exterior^ 

The  larger  circular  structure  is  one  of  the  best-preserved 


Oct  Y, 


THE  SACKED  EKCLOSUEES, 


THE  PROPnEx's   METHOIOLIS. 


m 


and  most  i.riposing  in  tlie  stale ;  there  are  many  wl.icli  enclose 
larger  areas,  l.u  none  whose  outlines  arc  more  cloarly  defined. 
At  tlie  entrance,  tlie  walls  enrve  outward  one  hundred  foot* 
leaving  a  passage  eighty  feet  w!do  between  the  deep  ditches 
on  cither  side. 

In  entering  this  ancient  avenue  for  the  first  time,  the  visiter 
can  not  fail  to  experience  a  sensation  of  awe,  such  as  ho  might 
feel  in  passing  the  portals  of  an  Egyptian  temple. 

Tiie  area  of  this  circle  is  something  over  thirty  acres     It 
18  perfectly  level,  and  thickly  clad  with  the  timber-trees  com- 
mon to  the  surrounding  forest.     In  the  centre  of  the  circle 
there  is  a  large  embankment,  or  rather  a  union  of  four  mounds' 
forming  an  unbroken  outline.  ' 

Aboutone  hundred  feet  distant  from  these,  there  is  acurved 
embankment,  of  slight  elevation,  about  two  hundred  feet  in 
length,  presenting  the  ouiline  of  a  new-moon  or  crescent. 
Ihero  IS  also  another  lunar  circle  connecting  the  octa-onal  en- 
closure  with  a  residential  circle,  which  is  also  appended  to 
one  of  the  secret  avenues  leading  to  the  unfinished  octagon 

ThecMclo  appended  to  the  octagon,  and  the  festival  smiaro, 
each  enclo.o  an  area  of  twenty  acres ;  the  octagonal  enclosure 
contains  f,l,y  acres.  The  most  extensive  avenue  measures  six 
thousand  fc.^,  in  length,  and  the  other  four  thousand  five  hun- 
dred  feet.  1  he  great  circle  is  distant  from  the  festival  square 
one  thousand  two  hundred  feet,  while  the  unfinished  octac^on 
evidontly  designed,  when  finished,  to  enclose  a  hcavoni; 
cluster,  18  eight  hundred  foot.  ^ 

This  entire  work  is  traditionally  represented  to  have  been  a 
prophets  inetropois,  or  holy  seminary  of  priests  or  prophets 
.vith  Its  holy  circles,  festival  square,  secluded  walks,  pnVato 
avenues,  sacred  residentials,  heavenly  clusters,  and  fl.neral- 

The  five  residential  circles  were  the  permanent  abodes  of 
the  senior  fathers,  who  were  appointed  by  the  people  to  im 
part  lush-uction  to  the  junior  prophets.     These  latter  inhabit- 
ed, m  common,  the  pyramidal  mounds  within  the  octagon 
Totheochvgon  is  appended  a  holy  festival  circle,  knowf  as 
such  by  ata  peculiar  manner  «f  construction,  being  formed 

17 


258 


ANTIQUARIAN  RESEARCnES. 


with  two  avenues,  the  one  from  without,  and  the  other  com- 
municating with  the  octagon.  Upon  the  pyramidal  altar, 
adjacent  to  the  cluster  of  symbols  of  deities,  was  consumed 
the  evening  sacrifice  offered  at  the  appearance  of  each  new- 
moon. 

SACRIFICIAL   TEMPLE   (UNFINISHED). 

Fourteen  miles  from  Chill icothe,  on  a  beautiful  terrace  of 
Paint  creek,  is  an  earth-work,  traditionally  represented  as  an 
unfinished  temple  of  sacrifice.  It  consists  of  two  circles  and 
a  square.  The  larger  circle  surrounds  an  area  of  twenty-seven 
acres,  and  has  a  diameter  of  three  thousand  five  hundred  feet. 
The  wall  is  much  impaired  by  the  ravages  of  time,  its  greatest 
perpendicular  altitude  not  exceeding  four  feet,  while  the  thick- 
ness of  the  embankment  at  the  base,  at  various  points,  is  over 
forty  feet.  The  small  circle  is  more  perfect,  it  has  a  diameter 
of  three  hundred  feet.  The  square  is  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred feet  in  diameter,  and  in  a  better  state  of  preservation. 
Comparison  Avith  similar  works  in  other  places,  show  this  to 
be  in  an  unfinished  condition. 

This  region  abounds  with  earth-works  of  this  description, 
more  than  any  other  explored  in  North  America.  This  seems 
to  indicate  the  former  presence,  at  this  point,  of  a  very  dense 
population.  Works  of  this  class  are  too  numerous,  and  too 
nearly  t^Jjacent  to  each  other,  to  admit  of  the  supposition  that 
they  Avere  constructed  as  fortifications,  or  for  military  pur- 
poses, even  were  it  not  that  many  of  them  occupy  localities 
wholly  inappropriate  to  such  a  design. 


UNFINISHED   SANCTUARY. 

This  work,  also  situated  in  Ross  county,  presents  an  un- 
finished appearance  within.  The  embankments,  however, 
appear  to  have  been  complete,  and  only  differ  from  many 
others  in  having  no  common  entrance  except  by  way  of  the 
square. 

This  may  be  classed  with  sacred  circles,  but  as  to  its  special 


FORT   ANCIENT. 


259 


oXr    .  T  "'  ?^'I""-     ^'  ''^''^  ^^'  ^'"  ««""««tIon  with 

iZ;  /"''  ''"■'''  ^'•^'^•^'^"^"y  represented  as  eucb,  with 

intenor  works  corresponding,  eo  far  as  they  appear. 

FOKT   ANCIENT. 

"n'rfT,     ■'"'  ""■""""  """o  '•"  "»'  present  e„„- 
me,,,  on  „f  the  more  remarkable  oarth-mrks  of  OMo. 

the  L  ttt"M      •""'""."  l'.'«''  ""''^  ™  "-  ^-'^  *»"  of 
the  I,  ttle  M.ami  nver,  in  Warren  county,  Ohio.    It  l,,.  an 

e  evafon  of  abont  two  Lnndrcd  feet  abo  e  tbe  lev  1  of  ,ho 
»treama  wl.leh  partially  s„rround  it    (See  Cut  T 

Tl,e  earthen  wall  which  encloses  it,  exposed  as  it  has  been 
fo  many  ages  to  the  wear  of  time  and  the  action  fir 
»;en ts,  yet  retains  a  perpendicular  height  of  from  oi7ht  to 
eighteen  feet,  with  a  base  of  about  fifty  ftet  ^ 

It  3S  nearly  surrounded  by  precipitous  ravines  but  on  tl,. 
eastern  s,de,  a  narrow  terrace  connects  it  with  an  uuduTat^^ 
plan,  wh,ch  gradually  widens  as  it  recedes  eastward  ^^ 

on  »."l?v''  T'""' ''"'""  ""'  ~™"  "'•  ^-bankaent  is  found 
on  a  crmcal  survey,  to  be  about  one  hundred  acres     It  is' 
tlckly  covered  with  trees,  the  appearance  of  which  diffe, 
little  from  those  of  the  surrounding  forest     If  t L,    ,l 
eu<dosed  was  once  clear  of  trees,  ^^.d^th:  resid;:  Hf  'Z- 
a  f.ict»h,ch  there  seems  little  reason  todoubt-the  surrrnd 
ng  country  may  have  been  equally  free  and  clear  !»d 
been  nhabitod  by-^a  numerous\nd'dense  ^opulltir '  ''"^ 
We  lave  already  expressed  our  conviction  of  the  error  of 
ho  e  who  suppose  these  enclosures  to  have  been  oonsZted 
y  tl  e  ancestors  of  the  present  race  of  Indians.    The  nattnl 
.ndolence  of  the  Indian  and  his  averseness  to  any  kind  „f 
manual  labor  are  well  known.    But  these  works  bea    test 
mony   „  a  degree  of  enterprise  and  of  patient  indusZ    hat 
would  br,„g  no  discredit  to  any  race  or  naL  known  to  hisl«y 


260 


ANTIQUAniAN   nESKAnCIIES. 


Somo  liave  imjxglncd  tliia  work  to  Imvo  been  dcaijrnorl  to 
roprceent,  by  its  outline,  tlic  gencrnl  form  of  tlio  continent 
of  North  and  S(»utli  America,  to  which  it  does  indeed  bear  a 
considerable  reseinblance,  but  there  is  little  to  render  such  a 
conclusion  probable.  My  old  friend,  De  coo-dali,  on  viewing 
a  drawing  of  this  work,  expn^ssed  an  opinion  that  the  southern 
enclosure  was  conatructod  and  occupied  at  a  date  long  anterior 
to  the  addition  of  the  northern  part.  "For,"  said  he,  "the 
aouthern  enclosure  bears,  at  the  place  of  'entrance,  the  indica- 
tions of  having  been  originally  complete  in  itself;  and  also 
testifies,  by  the  presence  of  the  two  conical  mounds,  on  either 
side  of  the  entrance,  to  a  change  subsequently  made  in  the 
original  work."  These  mounds  were  probably  formed  from 
tlie  earth  which  liad  formerly  rested  above  the  primitive  gate- 
way :  for  the  traditions  of  De-coo-dah  represent  the  entrance 
or  gateway  to  have  been  originally  constructed  by  setting  up 
timbers  endwise,  inclining  together  at  the  top,  so  as  to  form  a 
narrow  triangular  opening,  through  which  men  could  easily 
pass,  but  so  small  as  to  completely  exclude  beasts  of  huge 
stature,  such  as  are  supposed  to  have  roamed  the  surrounding 
country  in  the  days  of  the  mound-builders.  Decoodah  added 
that  these  walls  were  constructed  by  the  successive  labors  of 
a  long  line  of  kings  or  riders,  whose  pride  of  dominion  led 
them  to  eidarge  and  extend  the  oiiginal  work. 

There  are  at  this  time  twenty-five  breaches  or  openings  in 
the  wall  of  the  southern  enclosure,  These  arc  supposed  by 
Bome  to  have  been  designed  for  gates  or  passways;  by  others, 
to  have  been  the  sites  of  block-houses,  or  places  for  lookout  or 
of  defence.  But  it  appears  evidejit  to  us,  as  we  have  before 
staled,  that  these  openings  have  all  been  made  by  the  ravages 
of  time,  aided  by  the  uprooting  of  trees  which  formerly  grew 
npon  theembankmentjthe  wash  of  water,  and  the  trail  of  men 
and  heasts. 

We  su|)pose  this  embankment-  lo  liave  been,  originally,  not 
less  than  thirty  feet  in  heigh*:.  Even  this  estimate  falls  far 
short  of  tradition  ;  some  portions  of  these  walla  are  represent- 
ed t()  have  towered  above  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees. 

Tradition  assigns  to  this  remarkable  work  the  name  of  tho 


FOBT   ANCIENT. 


261 


Moon  Citv.     As  to  the  origin  of  this  name,  wo  can  only  ven- 

turo  a  cor.jectu.-e  :  tl.o  ancient  An.oricans  are  tradi  ionX 

represented  to  have  worshipped  the  moon,  and,  J^^fZ 

l^ave  regarded  it  as  the  elysium  or  place  o    refn.o  f,    the  do 

parted  spu-its  of  obedient  fenuvles,  there  they  nTil      i     ,  ^ 

a    the...  ease  the  passion  of  curiosity,  in  a  ceasefess  jou   .y 

about  the  world.    The  lofty  site  of  this  ancient  city,  a„d     .^e 

"  :^  -cured  to  its  innuUes,  by  its  high  en.bankn.'ents  1 

c    .s.b,e  pos.t.on,  .nay  have  suggested  a  con,paris..n  with 

the  n.oon.     Ihe  moonhke  or  crescent-shaped  work,  in  fro)it  of 

the  ongnntl  entrance,  strengthens  the  probability  of  this    u^ 

position.  •'  ir 

The  reader  will  discover,  from  an  inspection  of  the  dia- 

'  :':^XT""^,''^/ •""^  ''  ''^'^'''^^  configuration  ^ 
the  g: eat  works  in   he  Sc.uto  valley,  tlint  but  little  ailinity  is 

a  1  -^^     n.  general  outline  between  those  of  the  Ohio  valley 

and  those  of  the  upper  valley  of  the  Mississippi ;  and  yet  the^^^ 

m-e^son.  striking  coincidences  which  see  Jtl!  i^dlcatt  I  el! 

L.  northern  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  Michigan,  we  find  the 
^-ngle  the  square,  and  the  pentagon  enclosed  by  thf  che 

2!t  ffi  "  '''%'''T^^'^  ^'-  -••pent,  and  a  inuUitude  ot  gi! 
gantic  effig.es.     In  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  we  have  the  erf  - 
cent,  the  sei-pent  and  other  efllgies,  isolated  and  in  minL    e 
as  seen  m  Cut  Z,  fig.  3.     This  work,  so  clearly  delineated  hi 

0  diagram  that  literal  description  would   bLnperfl      ' 
Bitnared  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Scioto  river,  abou't  five  mil 
fron.  Portsmouth,  Ohio.    It  not  only  correspc;ds  in  confi,!    " 
t-on  with  effigies  common  in  Wisconsin,  but  it  also  contai  s 
depos.tes  of  m.ca,  an  article  which  is  always  discovered 
the   radit.onal  cemeteries  of  the  prophets.    In  Cut  Z  fi.  1 
we  have  the  square  enclosure  in  connection  with  the' circle' 
presenting    „.  tlie  area  enclosed,  the  forms  of  the   circl. 
equare,  and  the  crescent,  separate,  yet  in  conjunction  or  rdal 
t.v^  combii,atK.n   as  seen  in  the  cut.    This  ^ork  appears  iu 
Pike  county,  Ohio,  on  a  second  terrace  of  the  Scioto,  and  on  y 
vanes  from  the  enclosed  triangles  of  Wisconsin  'and  M  n^ 
nesota,  m  the  shape  of  the  area  enclosed. 


263 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCHES. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


EOYi^IAN   SANCTUARY. 

IN"  a  cavern  sitnatecl  aoout  twenty  miles  below  tlio  junction 
of  the  Wabueh  river  with  the  Ohio  (in  the  state  of  Indi- 
ana), are  fountl  somo  very  remarkable  relics  of  ancient  art,  in 
the  paintinj^s  and  sculpture  which  cover  large  portions  of  the 
smooth  walls  of  the  interior.  This  cavern  is  commonly  known 
i  as  the  llobbers'  Cave,  from  having  once  been  made  a  place 
of  resort  by  a  band  of  marauders,  who,  in  the  time  of  the 
early  navigation  of  the  Ohio,  used  to  plunder  the  boats  pas- 
sing to  New-Orleans,  and  oftentimes  muiilering  their  crews. 

The  length  of  the  cavern  is  about  two  hundred  feet,  and  its 
breadth  eighty.  At  its  farthest  extremity  a  well-like  passage 
extends  upward  to  the  height  of  fourteen  feet,  and  gives  en- 
trance to  a  dark  and  gloomy  recess  or  chamber,  situated  di- 
rectly above  the  main  cavern,  while  the  mountain  still  towers 
far  above  all.     (See  cut  GG.) 

The  floor  is  nearly  level  at  the  centre,  through  the  entire 
length  of  the  cavern,  rising  at  either  side  by  regular  grada- 
tions, so  as  to  form  rude  seats  sufficient  to  accommodate  a 
numerous  assembly. 

A  large  portion  of  the  side-walls  being  smooth  and  even, 
are  covered,  as  we  have  already  stated,  with  singular  paint- 
ings and  figures  cut  in  the  rock ;  these  are  grouped  in  c"  .is- 
ters  and  sections,  the  arrangement  of  which  exhibit  evident 
marks  of  design.  These  paintings  are  much  defaced,  and 
some  of  them  arc  almost  wholly  obliterated.  But  those  which 
yet  remain,  can  not  fail  to  be  regarded  as  highly  interestii  g 
and  important  relics  of  antiquity.  Some  of  these  are  depicted 
in  Cut  "W,  where  will  be  observed  the  figure  of  the  sun,  cut 
in  the  rock,  and  paintings  of  the  moon  in  various  phases,  and 


Cnr  N. 


3 


I     ^     |CSD331» 


V 


'"'"^''''"'iMWff'  ^ 


\N 


Scale,  200  feet  to  the  inch. 


CEMETERIES  OF  WISCONSIN. 


Scale,  IS5  feet  to  the  inch. 


A.CKIFICUL  PENTAGON. 


Bt.'lg( 

of  a 

tend 
toiirji 

Btiirs 
mons 

^sy ' 

small 
unkn 

its  ])£i 

the  c 

Til: 

cIcfilK 

with  1 
of  me 
There 
appen 
we  re 
on  the 
and  a 
conne 


The 

ments 

the  gi 

coverc 

in  con 

them. 

the  01 

the  m( 

presen 

nation! 

nations 

idea  of 

Ohio  r 

tills  de 

altitude 


EAnTOEN   WALLS   OF  OniO. 


mn 


ot  an  o,,,oi-  ae  if  mvallcving  its  tail;  ll,o  vi„o,-  will,  dis 

ended  jaws,  in  a.ti,„d„  „f  „n.ck   np™,  tl,e  Lnll    tie 

guol..s  cocodile,  ,1,0  do„l,,e..|,eadod'so,-,,enr,  and    Is'ovon 

monstc,   ,t  tl,e  san,e  desc,i|,ti„„  as  tl,at  seen  i„  t,„n„la,-rf 

,"i  ,ov,!     T       '™'°  '■''"""■''«l'l«  """""I  of  a  species  wholly 
;  Z'         ?  ;<'l!'''^^="'»'i  "»  conveying  f„„d'  will,  one  of 

;J:o';:;,;:'„A:'j:,;r '""'"" '""'"'  ""'^"™ '-  ^^  i*-^  - 

Ti,e,-e  „,e  ,na„y  oll.e,-  d.awings  npon  tl,e  walls  less  clearly 
d  fined,  ,.esen,l,l,„g  tl,e  l.nzz.-d,  eagle,  owl,  qnail,  &e.,  ,„g  «  E 
^y  11.  tn,p,cal  and  otl,e,- anin.als.    TI.e.o  a,e  also  sevc-  ,1  «„,„■! 
«  men  and  wo,„e„  distinctly  t.aced,  clad  in  ancient  cost.n  es 
Tl,c,-e  are  c,gl,t„fti,e  flgn.cs  ,n„cl,  defaced,  l,„wcv,„; 
ap,,ea,.  „,  Cat  O,  fig.  ],  „„d  ,|„,e  .-escnbling  ,I,„so  „f  fl:2 
«  ,-e,„a,.k  tl,at  tin.se  t;„,ns  appea,-  of  ca.ti,  i„  °g,.eat  I,  fee''tio,; 
on  l,e  pl,.,„s  of  tl,e  E„,disl,  p,.ai,.ie  i„  tl,e  vici.tityof  M  seodT 
and  at  oti.e,-  points  in  Wisconsin  in  cotnpa.ative  ,ni,™i!; 
connect,o„  with  those  jnesented  at  figs.  3  and  4. 

EAETnEN   WALLS   OF  OHIO. 

1.1';:  that  ?.tri  ^^'  '::  '""  ^'  ---^1-.  .aUs  .-  embamc. 

nients  (I.at  lave  been  thrown  up  by  the  monnd-bnildcrs  in 

the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  apparently  designed  fi" 

covered  pass-ways,  will  probably  never  be  inUy  asc^  ta  ..ed 

ons..,nence  of  the  passed  and  progressing  den"  it        of 

hen,      The  remauung  relics,  however,  that  nfay  be  traced  .n 

e  OIuo  va  ley  alone,  indicate  enterprise  and  energy  anl' 

l.e  .nonnd-bndders  that  w<.„ld  con^pare  favorahl/  vi  h  thf 

resent  a  vance,nent  of  internal  in,proven,ent,  a  d       ow  a 

aton  .  The  extent  of  this  class  of  works  alone  forbids  the 
K lea  of  Ind.an  or,g,n.  Near  the  continence  of  the  Scioto  and 
OIuo  r.vers,  we  have  twenty-one  n.ilos  of  en.banlon  nt  of 
th-s  descnption,  twenty  feet  wide,  and  from  three  ^^"x  ^ 
altitude,  connecting  various  works  scattered  alone.  the^Oh 


10 


m 


266 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEAECHES. 


river,  and  embracing  a  section  of  about  eight  miles.    The 
main  body  of  the  work  is  presented  in  the  appended  plate. 


PORTSMOUTH   WORKS,    OHIO. 


Exi>LANATioN.—AA,  Walls  of  EiiHli ;  B.IIighlanflj  CC,  Wells;  D.Alexandria; 
E,  Portsraouth;  mmm,  Mounds. 

Works  similar  to  these  are  found  in  great  numbers  through- 
out the  Mississippi  valley,  and  in  the  valleys  of  the  Scioto 
and  Miamis  there  are  many  of  them,  evidently  disconnected 
and  yet  contiguous  to  each  other;  some  connecting  en- 
closures, some  leading  to  watering-places,  and  others  isolated 
and  unconnected  with  other  works,  extending  many  miles, 
and  running  on  parallel  lines.  There  is  also  a  single  line  of 
embankment  running  in  a  northeast  direction  from  a  point 
near  the  Scioto  toward  Lake  Erie,  that  may  be  clearly  traced 
seventeen  miles  in  length,  unbroken  except  by  water-courses, 
yet  in  many  places  almost  obliterated  by  the  uprooting  of 
large  timber  that  fo.-merly  grew  on  the  work.  Tiie  moei;  per- 
fect remains  j^vesent  an  altitude  of  from  four  to  five  feet  ^v'''^ 
a  general  base  of  about  twenty-five.  Three  hundred  and  ^ix 
miles  of  this  order  of  earth-work,  in  the  state  of  Ohio  alone, 
may  yet  be  ckarly  traced,  and  yet  this  order  of  f  .:rp  and  n r- 
rangement  embraces  but  a  small  portion  of  fJio  Oiirthci*  re- 
mains of  antiquity  in  that  state.  It  ir.  aho  worihy  of  remark 
that  the  ma'^nitude  of  area  enclosed  is  not  always  u  corrcjt 
index  of  the  amount  of  labor  expended  iu  the  work.   l\  Ilioii- 


GREAT   MOUND   OF   MIAMSBTJRG. 


267 


land  county,  Ohio,  there  is  a  work,  with  little  less  than  one 
n-ile  and  five  eigliths  of  heavy  embankment,  enclosing  a  frac- 
tion less  than  forty  acres  of  land,  and  Fort  Ancient,  in  Warren 
county,  Oliio,  has  a  fraction  over  four  miles  of  heavy  embank- 
aient,  enclosing  only  one  hundred  acres.  The  entire  group 
of  enclosures  at  the  mouth  ox  he  Scioto,  with  more  than  twenty 
miles  of  embankment,  encloses  less  than  two  hundred  acres. 

GREAT   MOUND   OF   MIAMISBFRG. 


^  This  grand  colossal  earthen  structure  is  situated  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Miamisba:g,  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  and  is  sixty- 
eight  feet  in  pcipendicular  altitude,  and  about  eight  hundred 
and  fifty  in  base  circumference,  containing  three  hundred  and 
eleven  thousand,  three  hundred  and  fifty-three  cubic  feet  of 
earth.  Mounds  of  this  form  abound  throughout  this  valley, 
and  are  of  all  sizes  and  dimensions,  towering  upward  from  the 
mole-hill  to  the  miniature  mounta/ .  At  the  junction  of 
Grave  creek  with  the  Ohio,  in  Virginia,  we  find  another, 
seventy  feet  high,  with  a  baso  oirciaiference  of  more  th,  :i  a 
thousand  feet.  At  C.Jiokia,  u.  nois,  there  is  another,  tower- 
ing to  the  height  of  ninety  f^et,  with  a  base  circumference  of 
over  two  thousand  feet,  and  a  level  top,  with  an  area  of  more 
than  two  acres. 

Mounds  of  liicrie  extraordinary  dimensions  abound  more  in 
the  south,  and  with  increased  dimensions.  Near  Salvers- 
town,  Mississippi,  there  is  one  that  occupies  an  .iroa  of  six 
acras ;    but  in  the  uppei  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  from  the 


f*j 


26^ 


ANTIQUARIAN   EKSEAKCIIES. 


junction  of  tlie  Ohio  river  nortli,  a  base  diameter  of  from 
twenty  to  ninety  feet,  and  an  altitude  of  from  three  to  tliirty 
is  most  common. 

_  And  yet  there  are  many  groups  in  the  nortli  arranged  in 
circles,  squares,  triangles,  and  lines,  together  with  others  thjit 
present  no  apparent  regular  order  of  arrangement  (hat  would 
require  for  tlieir  construction  the  labor  of  a  thousand  men  many 
montlis,  aided  with  all  the  modern  improvements  in  mechani- 
cal  implements  in  their  construction.     Others  are  seen  isola- 
ted and  alone,  occupying  summit  heights  of  large  dimensions, 
formed  of  earth  in  strata,  evidently  obtained  in  different  and 
distant  localities.     A  splendid  view  of  many  of  the  last  de- 
scribed may  be  had  from  the  heights  of  the  hills  west  of  the 
town  of  Dubuque,  in  Iowa,  occupying  the  points  of  lofty  spm-s 
that  grace  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Mississippi.    They  seem 
to  have  been  designed  to  give  an  artificial  finish  to  a  most 
beautiful   and  romantic  natural  scenery.     Indeed,  some  of 
those  works  are  of  such  colossal  proportions,  that  many  per- 
sons  hesitate  at  first  view  to  ascribe  them  to  the  hand  of  man. 
But  they  are  uniformly  placed  in  such  reference  to  the  ad- 
jacent and  surrounding  hills,  and   their  confirmation  is  so 
unique  and  similar,  that  few  observers  hesitate  long  in  referring 
them  to  the  hand  of  art. 

ANCIENT    WORKS    ON   PAINT   CREEK. 


Explanation.— A,  an  enclosure,  containing  seventy-seven  ncrpr,  ■  J,  <!,>.,  ^ightj- 
four  acres;  C,  do.,  one  hundred  nnd  thirty-si.v  acres ;  D,  wells  in  TaiMt  creek; 
E,  an  area  of  twcnty-eevea  acres;  F,  do.,  twenty-seven  acres;  a,  a,  v  .-lis:  m,  m, 
truncated  mounds. 

This  plate  exhibits  a  section  of  nearly  five  miles  of  Taint 
creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Scioto  river.     Withiii  this  limit  are 


ANCIENT  WORKS   ON   PAINT   CREEK. 


269 


erahraced  three  exfensive  worlds,  desii^natecl  bj  letters  A,  B 
and  C.     Tliese  woiks  combined,  present  upward  of  six  miles 
of  heavy  embankment,  and  enclose  areasof  from  twenty-seven 
to  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  each.     Tlie  work  marked  B, 
IS  about  fonrteeu  miles  dibtant  from  Chillicothe,and  is  a  well- 
preserved  structure.     The  gateways,  or  places  of  entrance,  are 
wider  than  those  generally  seen  in  similar  structures.     This 
form  or  arrangement  of  earthen-wall,  is  seen  at  three  other 
points^in  this  valley,  but  none  are  so  well  preserved  as  this 
one.     Tliere  are  several  elliptical  elevations  in  the  vicinity, 
a^d  a  well-portrayed  crescent  work,  resembling  those  found  in 
Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois. 

^  The  work  marked  A,  is  situated  a  few  miles  nearer  to 
Chill icothe,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  Paint  creek.     This 
work  presents  an  uncommon  feature.     It  occupies  two  terraces, 
the  square  being  i)lace,d  on  the  second,  while  the  main  body 
of  the  woik  occupies  the  third  terrace  of  the  creek.     Within 
the  larger  work,  near  the  centre,  there  is  a  large  elliptical 
mound,  the  largest  elliptical  work  in  this  valley  ;  its  length  is 
twohnndi'cd  and  furty  feet;  base  width,  sixty  ;  height,  thirty. 
The  interior  is  composed  of  earth  resembling  the'snli-soil  in 
the  vicinity,  but  the  surface,  covering  to  the  depth  of  eighteen 
inches,  was  evidently  obtained  from  some  water-conrsL°  as  it 
is  composed  of  sandy  clay,  l.)am,  water-washed  pebbles,  and 
stones  of  various  small  dimensions.     This  work  is  surrounded 
by  a  slight  wall,  or  elevated  work,  that  resembles  the  matri- 
monial ring  so  frequently  seen  in  Wieconsin.     But  the  inter- 
mediate  space  between  the  ring  and  the  main  body  of  the 
work,  is  nearly  filled  with  the  wash  from  the  sides,  and  now 
presents  the  form  of  a  low  stage  or  flat  teirace.     There  are 
several  large  truncated,  or  conical  mounds,  adjacent,  that  are 
fo.med  of  elny  ;  tliere  are  also  several  deep  pits  in  the' vicinity 
from  which  it  is  believed  the  earth  was  obtained  f..r  their  con- 
struction.    Adjacent  to  the  great  circular  work,  or  wall,  is  a 
small  circular  wali,  enclosing  an  area  about  two  hnndied  and 
fifty  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  flat  circular  mound  in  the  centre 
the  facsimile  of  the  matrimonial  circles  that  apj^ear  on  the* 
waters  uf  the  Chippewa  river,  not  less  than  seven  hundred 


210 


ANTIQUARIAN   KKSKABCHE8. 


miles  northwest  from  tin's  point.  This  work  will  soon  disap- 
pear in  the  cultivation  of  the  premises.  There  is  also  a  cres- 
cent work  in  the  vicinity,  formed  of  earth  and  stone  that  bear 
the  impress  of  fire;  and  many  small  mounds  are  in  the 
vicinity,  appearing  to  retain  no  deposite  whatever. 

The  work  marked  C,  exhibits  the  form  of  a  dilapidated 
arrangement  of  stone-work,  on  the  summit  of   a  high  hill, 
overlooking  a  narrow  valley,  through  which  a  small  tributary 
of  Paint  creek,  denominated  the  Black  run,  flows,  and  where 
other  similar  works  appear.     The  body  of   this  work   pre- 
sents an  elliptical  form,  and   the  lines  may  yet  be  clearly 
traced,  notwithstanding  much  of  the  material  has  been  re- 
moved by  the  first  settlers  in  the  construction  of  chimneys 
and  buildings.     The  purpose  of  this  strange  work  in  the  valley, 
is  considered  by  many  inexplicable.     The  position  occupied, 
together  with  the  small  area  enclosed,  entirely  precludes  the 
idea  of  defensive  origin,  it  being  located  in  a  narrow  valley, 
wliere  the  natural  hills  would  command  far  ijreater  advantages. 
The  material,  however,  seems  to  have  been  promiscuously 
thrown  together,  and  there  is  no  evidence  of  any  other  arrange- 
ment formerly  than  is  now  seen.    Thei-e  is,  however,  a  feature 
in  connection  Avith  this  work,  that  may  afford  an  aid  to  con- 
jecture:  it  is  the  singular  construction  of  five  walls,  startim' 
within  ten  feet  of  the  unbroken  line  of  the  elliptical  enclosure, 
extending  north  about  one  hundred  feet,  slightly  diverging,  but 
running  in  nearly  parallel  lines.     These  walls  are  about  ten 
feet  distant  from  each  other, and  twenty  feet  broad  at  the  end 
nearest  the  enclosure;  they  diminish,  as  they  recede,  to  ten 
feet  at  their  extremity;  but  if  extended  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet,  the  five  walls  would  terminate  in  one  connection,  and 
present  in  form  the  precise  outline  of  the  earthen  mound  of 
extinction  that  abounds  far  west;  its  location  on  low  land  is 
also  a  corresponding  feature.     This  work  is  totally  unlike  any 
stone-works  that  are  located  on  the  highlands  in  the  vicinity. 
The  great  stone-work  of  Paint  creek,  two  miles  distant  (letter 
C),  that  overlooks  this  work,  bears  no  resemblance  to  it  wliat- 
ever;  both  works,  however,  may  have  originated  with   the 
eame  people.    It  is  a  reasonable  presumption,  in  view  of  the 


ANCIENT   WORKS   AT  MARIETTA. 


271 


fact  that  neither  possesses,  in  any  of  its  parts,  the  regular 
finish  that  is_  frequently  seen  in  truneated;  or  conical  sine' 
works, occurnngin  similar  localities  in  the  surrounding  regions 

^roLTr  7-  "'  '^''  ''''''  ^^'-'"^^^  ^^--  ^^--tures 

piesent  to  view  nothing  more  than  a  large  collection  of  mate- 

ml,  gathered   together  and  conveniently  arranged   for  the 
stnicture   of  great  works,  that  were  from   som^  cause  per- 
mitted to  remain  unfinished.     Many  earth-works,  here  and 
elsewhere,  present  the  same  feature.    The  form  of  the  work 
C  is  well  given  in  the  cut.    It  conforms  to  the  ground  on 
Which  1   rests,  the  land  falling  off  precipitously  all  fround,  ex" 
cep  at  the  north,  where  it  connects  with  the  receding-  hi^h 
land.     Its  location  is  similar  to  that  on  which  Fort  Ancient 
appears     This  huge  mass  of  stone,  collected  at  the  cost  of 
much  labor,  presents  no  appearance  of  a  completed  artificial 
wall,  althotigh  the  arrangement  of  the  material  favors  such  a 
design.    The  area  enclosed  being  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
aci-es,  and  the  material  being  very  equally  distributed  in  the 
cucujt,  ftivors  the  idea  that  the  construction  of  a  wall  was 
anticipated. 

ANCIENT   WORKS    AT   MARIETTA. 


Thi,  interesting  gronp  of  ancient  remains,  briefly  noticed  in 
another  part  of  tliia  work,  is  .itualed  on  the  second  terrace  of 


272 


ANTIQUARIAN   KESEAECHES. 


the  ]VInsl<Iiifi;um  river,  near  its  junction  with  the  Oliio,  on  a 
8an(]y  pluiii,  elevated  about  one  liundrerl  feet  above  the  present 
bed  of  the  river,  and  is  probably  one  of  the  first  works  that 
arrested  the  attention  of  the  eai-lj  explorers  of  the  Ohio  valley. 
It  was  noticed  by  Mr,  Ilarte  in  his  travels  of  1791,  and  more 
minutely  described  in  Mr.  Harris's  published  tour  in  1805. 
Several  surveys  have  since  been  made,  with  much  care  and 
critical  accuracy  at  the  time  of  their  prosecution.  The  con- 
tinuous demolition  of  portions  of  the  work,  in  the  march  of 
civilization,  has  j^iven  rise  to  some  small  discrepancies  in  the 
several  delineations  of  the  works  in  dia^^ram,  M'hile  tlie  lead- 
ing outlines  have  nevertheless  been  well  preserved  by  all,  and 
attempted  to  be  faithfully  given  in  the  appended  cut.  This 
plate  is  from  an  early  survey  of  the  premises  made  by  Mr. 
Harris,  in  1S04.  The  works  consist  of  two  irregulai",  but 
Boniewhat  similarly-ft)rmed  squares,  the  larger  enclosing  an 
area  of  little  less  than  fifty  acres,  while  the  smaller  embi-aces 
about  half  that  area.  The  town  of  Marietta  being  laid  out 
over  them,  the  progress  of  improvement  is  annually  reducing, 
and  a  few  nioi'c  years  will  pi'obably  entirely  desti-oy  the  last 
remains  of  this  once  magnificent  work.  Tiie  walls  of  the 
largest  enclosure,  where  least  intei'rupted,  yet  retain  an  alti- 
tude of  about  six  feet,  with  a  base  varying  from  twenty  to 
thirty  foet ;  and  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  greater  the 
altitude,  the  more  contracted  is  tlie  base.  This  general  feature 
in  the  wall,  sustains  the  conclusion  that  a^uniformity  in  heifrlit 
once  prevailed,  for  it  is  evident  that  the  wear  of  the  wall  by 
the  wa.sii  (jf  rain,  would  increase  the  base.  The  same  feature 
is  also  seen  in  the  smaller  woik,  the  walls  of  which,  from 
present  iiulications,  never  were  so  massive  as  those  of  the 
larger  work.  The  similarity  of  form,  in  the  general  construc- 
tion of  tliese  great  works,  presents  the  feature  noticed  by  De- 
coo-dali  in  the  enlargement  of  Fort  Ancient.  The  apparent 
appendages  to  the  smaller  work  indicate  a  more  thorough 
finish,  while  the  additional  pyramidal  works  within  tlie  larger, 
sustain  the  idea  that  the  advancing  pride  of  a  prosperous 
nation,  was  fostered  in  the  eidargement  of  their  national 
fortress.    They  also  present  features  of  a  ctriking  character, 


ANCIENT   WOBKS   AT   MAIilETTA.  273 

Showing  tl,o  n„fl„i»l,od  eo„,litio„  of  tho  enlarged  work  l,y  the 
ataonee  o,  baa,,i„,„  „t  each  ,,lace  „f  entrance,  which  'al  „ 
m  t he  order  of  arrangenient  i„  (l,e  smaller  work  ' 

1  hat  t  „8  larger  work  was  of  more  recent  strncture  than  the 

ma  er,  „  not  only  evident  from  the  nnflnisho.l  condi. I    f 

nto  ,or   ppendages,  but  also  from  its  singnlar  eonfiguration. 

It   s  unhke  any  other  enclosed  strnct.ne  in  the  Ohi:  valle" 

and  ,s  e„t,t  ed  to  elassifieati.n,  with  ,l,e  i.nprovements  o"  t  o 

era  in  which  it  was  constructed. 

The  pvrainidal  strnctnres,  designated  by/  and  ,,  within  tbo 
arger  enclosure,  are  colossal  works,  and    bear  so'n^      "c  , 
bianco  to  tho  pyramidal  work,  of   Central  A„,e ica     The 
argest  work  (,)  is  „n  oblong  scpiare,  one  hundred       1  eil;' 

fl  e  feet  wide  and  sixty  feet  long,  of  gradual  ascent,  which 
aie  the  passage-ways  to  the  top.  The  work  marked  ft 
B.m,  ar  in  lorm   but  of  smaller  dimensions,  indieat".  „„  „„ 

butti  eein  all.    1  here  are  two  parallel  earthen  walls  imminS 
from  the  wall  o    the  larger  enclosure  toward  the  Musi  n"  .^^ 
BIX  hundred  and  eighty  feet,  with  a  covered  passage  bet,Cn 
one  bundled  and  fifty  feet  wide.    Evidence  o.°  a  simUa; 
jage  at  the  southwest  corner,  is  perceptible  in  lineal    ndn 
ations  of    he  earth  yet  apparent.    This  is  also  an  imp lov  - 
"ont  of  which  the  smaller  enclosure  is  destitute;  that  havTnl 
but  one  ombankraent,  which  seems  to  have  beon'd  silned  „? 
a    ounce  ,ng  Imk  between  the  small  circle  and  rtiet  a,e 
The  rela  ,ve  arraugemont  and  general  fiirm  of  the  extel; 
works  heiug  given  in  the  plate,  and  the  many  notices  ZtZ 
B-pt,ons  which  have  been  published  heie.ofo         „Ter  an 
elaborate  description  of  this  work  superfluous 
A  shrirt  distance  west  of  Chillicothe,  on  tho  north  branch 

aid  t;„  "™'  '=°"""™  ""  "'•'^••'  °f  »l"">'  ""e  hundred 

ad  ten  acres  snrronnd,^!  by  an  earthen  wall,  partly  encom: 

a   ed  by  a  ditch  twenty  feet  wide.    Within'  bis  cue  osum 

there  is  ,a  group  of  six  conical  luounds,  that  are  also  sm™Z! 


i 


274 


ANTIQUAniAN    BE8EARCUE8. 


ed  by  a  wall  and  ditch.  Tlicso  conical  works  seem  to  liave 
attracted  the  attention  either  of  the  first  pioneers  or  French 
occupants,  or  possibly  of  the  Indian  tribes  of  tliat  region,  and 
were  evidently  used  by  them  as  cemeteries.  They  not  only 
contain  many  skeletons  in  difterent  staples  of  decomposition, 
but  the  earth  of  which  they  are  composed,  gives  evidence  of 
Ijaving  been  recently  disturbed  by  the  mixture  of  vegetable 
mould,  and  by  the  lack  of  solidity  in  the  earth  lying  directly 
above  the  deposites  as  compared  with  the  earth  elsewhere. 
The  small  enclosure  ai)pended  to  the  larger  on  the  cast  side, 
contains  an  area  of  about  sixteen  acres,  enclosed  by  a  wall  of 
earth,  vith  several  places  of  entrance,  but  with  no  signs  of  a 
ditch  or  other  appendages. 

Kear  Somerset,  in  Perry  county,  Ohio,  may  yet  be  seen  the 
fragments  of  a  wall,  enclosing  about  forty  acres,  formed  of 
earth  mingled  with  fragments  of  stone  and  rock  promiscuously 
thrown  together,  sufficient  in  quantity  to  form  a  wall  of  five 
or  six  feet  in  height,  with  a  proportional  base.  The  principal 
opening  to  this  enclosure  is  protected  by  a  rock  of  sufiicient 
size  for  that  purpose.  Near  the  centre  of  the  enclosed  area, 
there  is  a  large  truncated  mound,  composed  of  earth  contain- 
ing Jio  apparent  deposite.  Near  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
enclosure,  there  is  a  slight  circular  wall,  resembling  the  matri- 
monial rings  heretufore  described. 


FORT   HILL. 

Near  the  south  line  of  Highland  county,  Ohio,  about  twelve 
miles  south  of  Hillsborough,  is  an  isolated  hill,  unlike  any  in 
the  vicinity,  its  sides  being  steep  and  difficult  of  access,  ex- 
cept at  its  northern  and  southern  angles,  and  its  top  level  and 
smooth,  with  an  area  of  about  fifty  acres,  densely  covered 
with  heavy  timber.  This  plot  of  land,  with  an  elevation  of 
about  five  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  Erush  creek  that 
washes  its  base,  is  surrounded  by  a  ditch  of  considerable 
depth,  that  has  been  partially  filled  by  the  wash  and  wear  of 
its  own  sides,  and  the  decomposition  of  vegetable  matter. 
Along  the  exterior  edge  of  this  ditch,  extending  in  an  almost 


FORT  niI,L. 


273 


mLrokcrt  Imo  aronnd  Iho  summit  of  the  hill,  thore  yet  ,e 
ma,„8  „  J,„ge  „„«  of  .tones  tl,„t  bca,-  no  nmrks  of  mecl  „  ,i 
cal  „n-ange„,ont,  bnt  wl.id,  ,vcro  cvi,iontly  tl.rown  p™„ t  ' 
o.>.ly  together  iy  the  hnn.ls  of  nutn.    liig  partly  c^ed 
hy  a  portion  of  the  earth  thrown  from  the  ditch  and  LI 
ennudation  of  vegetable  mould  for  many  4"  ;;,"';:  ; 
present  a  wa  1  of  earth  and  stone,  more  than  Sne  mile  and! 
^"If  .n  length,  mterrnpled  «t  intervals  by  break,  Z7oLi 
by  some  to  have  been  designe.l  for  gatLays     b7    t:' 
breaks  ocenr  treqne.dly  at  points  natnrally  in.eeessib  e  a  d 
.s  fact  confi,cts  with  sneh  a  conclusion.    By  sinking  shafts 
m  three  different  places  along  the  interior  ofthe  wa^   Id 
covered,  that  on  the  surface  of  the  primitive  earth,  th^   t^e 
was  not  mixed  with  earth  as  at  or  near  the  surface  bnt  hul 
been  buried  by  earth  thrown   front  the  ditch,  a'itu, 
«mve  at  the  conclusiou,  that  the  collection  of  materia  land  • 
he  ex-cavat.on  0    the  ditch,  were  prosecuted  at  one  and  the 
s  me  t,me,  and  that  those  i„,„ginary  gateways  were     ft  f 
he  conventence  of  persons  engaged  in  the  collection  of  ma 
ter  a  ,  designed  to  form  a  wall,  the  foundation  of  which  should 
je,  m  the  d.teh,  and  bo  protected  from  the  ..pheaving  „  f-." 
by  the  replacing  of  the  earth  along  its  interior  and  ext  Z 
base     It  IS  evident  that  a  wall  composed  of  so  great  a  '     „ 
t.ty  of  ma  erial,  built  on  the  surface  of  the  eaith,  wouU  be 
amiually    istnrbed  by  the  frost,  and  in  the  const  ,i',f  of 
u      a  wal  on  of  undressed  material,  a  wide  foundation  wa 
mdispensable  to  secnre  strength  and  stability.    It  ,„„,(  of 

irtirl'lTf  ""  """'^"f.-™-"'  "^g-V>nd  thus  hive 
in  the  fini»h  a  narrow  summit,  if  sufficiently  elevated  to  se 
cure  protection  from  man  or  beast.    The  quantity  of  mater  a 
at  many  points  of  the  work,  wc  suppose  to  be  adennatTto    ^0 
coustrnction  of  such  a  wall  not  lesf  than  ten  or    vefve  fe 
above  the  surface  of  the  area  enclosed.    The  height  of  tie 
wall  measuring  from  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  varies  from  six 
to  fifteen  fee  ,  and  its  base  width,  from  thirtyfivs  to  forty  feet 
There  are  thirty-three  breaks  or  openings  in  the  wall,  twenty: 
two  of  which  are  irregular  and  narrow;  several  of   hem  an 
parenl  V  .  ,.=  ™(.,)  .„  ,i,.,,v  o       ,-.  ,    '.      .  ™  "P 

r         .,    -- loiel  to  ciam  ihc  ditch,  liaving  channels  cut 


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276 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEAKCIIES. 


PH' 


through  that  answer  that  purpose.  There  are  elevdn  canee- 
wajs  across  the  ditch,  where  the  primitive  earth  shows  no 
evidence  of  ever  having  been  moved, 

Tlie  points  most  easy  of  access  appear  at  the  northern  and 
Bouthern  angles  of  the  area  enclosed,  and  at  these  points  the 
openings  and  causeways  are  most  spacious.   The  wall,  at  firet 
view,  seems  to  have  been  formed  a  little  below  the  brow  of 
the  hill,  but  a  critical  survey  of  the  work  presents  conflictino- 
features,    it  is  observed  that  at  several  points  around  the 
work,  where  sand-stone  forms  the  original  surface  on  which 
the  loose  materials  were  laid,  the  wall  is  most  dense,  and 
towers  highest,  and   at  those  points  presents  a  uniformity 
which  is  less  apparent  in  other  portions  of  the  work.     This 
circumstance  sustains   the  conclusion    that  the  wall,  in  its 
original  formation  occupied  the  brow  of  the  terrace,  and  that 
'  water  produced  by  the  melting  of  snow  (which  would  natu- 
rally be  drifted  by  wind  around  a  wall  in  such  an  elevated 
locality)  continued  annually  to  wash  and  wear  the  brink  of 
the  precipice,  thus  gradually  undermining  the  wall.     With 
its  own  weight  it  continued  to  give  way,  and  slide  down  the 
hill,  until  in  the  lapse  of  time  the  obstruction  was  removed, 
the  snow  passed  off,  and  the  fractured  wall  remained  in  its 
position.     It  may  have  required  the  lapse  of  many  ages  to 
give  the  supposed  result,  and  we  have  the  evidences  of  an- 
tiquity famished  in  the  general  aspect  of  the  forest,  abund- 
antly sustaining  the  presumption  of  time,  '  We  find  the  en- 
closed area  thickly  covered  with  aged  trees,  some  of  which 
are  also  found  growing  in  the  earth  thrown  from  the  ditch, 
and  lying  on  a  portion  of  the  stone  that  formed  the  interior 
base  of  the  wall.    This  ftvct  w^as  disclosed  by  the  uprooting 
of  an  oak  that  grew  on  the  interior  edge  of  the  wall,  whose 
trunk  measured  twenty-three  feet  in  circumference.     There 
was  also  a  chestnut-tree  of  twenty-two  feet  in  circumference  • 
occupying  a  similar  position.    This  tree  was  ascertained  to 
have  nearly  six  hundred  rings,  or  concentric  growths,  giving 
evidence  of  about  six  centuries  since  its  germination.     The 
oak  having  been  blown  down  many  years  previous  to  its 
measurement,  and  the  bark  and  surface  sapwood  having  de- 


FORT   HILL. 


srr 


V  e  have  not  only  advanced  the  idea  that  thJ«  ^vn,i    . 
gethev  with  the  great  stone  wo.k  previo!!  ^  d    e       d  I 
.Koss  county,  was  abandoned  previous  to  t},.;.  !        1 1 
but  I  have  also  given  my  view  of  Lp  1  T  ^^f^P^etion, 

ptniotmn      Ti  ■  .  "®  designed  mode  of  con- 

e  to  b.  ,  ^''-^^f-"K]ed  on  personal  research,  I  ITn- 

cene  to  be  amply  sustained  by  tlie  occurrenoA  nf  o     ■ 
work  of  smaller  dimensions  near    he  t^Z "f  n      "u '"   '' 

secued  byZ  ere!  on  'f  ™°°  ""'  '^"^^  "'  '""''''  '^  »'«» 

or.reat  st^e„:.,;r To  .  '"^z  :;:t:rf"""/™" 

H.at  is  bom  deZt'  t   w     T'  ?""^'  ""  "  '"«''  l'-'"-''-' 

boundali     oft     ;;„i^  1":  7*'"'="'  '^.  -"--i  »l°"g  tbe 
oval  f„™   ,.„.      .    ""'""""'  ""J  presents  m  configniafion  an 

a.:; ':  ::r :"  :t;sV"' xr  '"^  rr  "'^>- '™"""" 

nr/n  nf    1      .     •  ,    '^^'^®-     ^his   embankment  surrounds  an 
aiea  ot  about  eurhteen  tpvoq      ti        t  ,  iwuimus  an 

etrnction  of  this  wm^  nT        .  ''  "''^  "^  *^''  ^""- 


•    •       .  vjKjat  ivjLuiir  ,  as  tnera  ai-p  iinf- 

>-na,n,ng  i„  tLa.  stream  «itl,in  seveml  miles  ^f  tbe  woA. 


It 


278 


ANTIQUARIAN   KESEAKCHES. 


commanda  a  view  of  many  singularly-formed  earth-works  in 
the  adjacent  valley,  some  of  which  resemble  the  works  of 
northern  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Wisconsin.     Some  of  these  are  in 
small  circles,  ellipses,  and  cresccjits.     The  work  on  the  penin- 
sula, however,  does  not  present  the  solidity  in  strucfnre  ap- 
parent  in  some  other  works  of  the  sanv  class.     Having  in  ifs 
original  proportions  moi'e  earth,  it  has  consequently  suffered 
more  from  the  wash  and  wear  of  rain  and  frost.     It  is  a  re- 
markable fact  that  wherever  the  smaller  works  composed  of 
earth  and  stone  appear  in  the  Ohio  valley,  tliey  generally 
bear  the  features  of  a  better  and  more  thorongh  finish  than 
those  of  the  largest  proportions.   I  have  not  yet  been  able  to 
discover  any  of  tliis  class  of  woi-ks  in  the  great  valley  of  the 
Mississippi,  enclosing  areas  of  over  twenty-five  acres,  that  re- 
tain the  features  of  a  regular  or  final  finish;  from  which  I  in- 
fer that  the  mounds  of  stone  and  earth  were  the  last  works  of 
the  earthern  mound-builders;  that  they  were  erected  for  de- 
fence, in  anticipation  of  an  assault  from  a  foreign  enemy 
deemed  more  potent  in  means  of  assault  than   those  with 
whom  they  had  previously  contended,  and  by  whom  they 
were  finally  conquered  and'  reduced  to  the  servility  which 
resulted  in  the  total  extinction  of  their  nationality. 

It  appears  to  me  apparent;  also  that  the  valley  drained  by 
the  Ohio  river,  from  the  Alleghany  mountains  to  the  Missis- 
sippi was  the  place  of  collision.    This  conclusion  is  sustained 
by  the  fact  that  nearly  all  the  works  of  earth,  or  of  earth  and 
stone,  that  seem  to  have  been  designed  for  military  purposes, 
and  which  are  of  any  considerable  magnitude  west  and  north 
of  those  mountains,  are  found  in  this  vafley ;  and  there  is  prob- 
ably no  part  or  portion  of  North  America  in  which  the  evi- 
dences of  a  more  numerous  ancient  population  are  more  defi- 
nitely marked  ;  not  only  in  the  appearance  of  works  of  great 
magnitude  designed  for  defence,  but  also  in  the  immense 
number  and   complicated   arrangement  of  extensive   earth- 
works adjacent  to  each  other,  and  evidently  designed  for 
other  purposes,  as  well  as  the  innumerable  small  works  that 
adorn  the  hills  and  the  plains  from  the  Mississippi  to  the 
Monongahela. 


MOUNDS   OF  MIGRATION. 


279 


MOUNDS   OF  MIGRATION. 

Haying  obtained  from  De-coo  dah  what  I  esteemed  the  in- 
teresting and  reasonable  explanation  of  the  design  of  the 
amalgamation  mound  of  Muscoda,  I  soon  discovered  a  cor- 
responding degree  of  plausibility  in  his  traditions  of  the  origin 
and  use  of  others,  among  which  I  number  the  mounds  of  mi- 
gration. 

Those  mounds,  of  various  forms  but  regular  in  arrange- 
ment, we  discover  interspersed  throughout  the  entire  vale  of 
tiie  upper  Mississippi,  running  from  the  north  to  the  south, 
and  from  the  west  to  the  east,  frequently  diverging  from  those 
lines  by  following  the  highlands,  or  dividing  ridges  between 
leading  streams  or  large  water-courses.    E Ungated  embank- 
ments, with  intermediate  conical  mounds  of  small  dimensions 
abound  most  in  this  order  of  arrangement.    These  are  some- 
hmes  accompanied  by  small  effigies,  but  are  more  frequently 
without  them.     The  migration  memorial  ranges  differ  from 
national  lineal  ranges,  not  only  in  the  irregularity  of  distance 
between  groups,  but  also  in  their  more  distant  and  remote  lo- 
calities.   Their  migrating  import,  however,  is  better  known 
by  their  relative  position,  as  seen  in  each  group,  and  by  the 
variety  of  size  and  form  preserved  in  all  the  groups  of  the 
same  range. 

Having  been  informed   by  De-coo-dah   that  there  were 
many  ancient  works  of  divers  import  in  what  he  termed  the 
holy  land  that  surrounds  the  four  lakes  in  Wisconsin,  I  pre- 
vailed on  him  in  the  beginning  of  the  autumn  of  1842,'  to  ac- 
company me  on  a  visit  to  those  regions.    We  descended  the 
Mississippi  fi-om  my  trading  post  on  Eoot  river,  to  the  west- 
ern terminus  of  what  he  termed  the  highway  of  nations,  but 
better  known  in  modern  time  as  the  old  Indian  trail,  run'nincr 
from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Mississippi  river.    I  Jiave  but 
little  doubt,  however,  that  this  trail  occupies  the  best  natural 
Jine  for  travel  between  those  two  great  waters,  and  has  been 
used  for  very  many  ages  by  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  those 
regions,  and  will  continue  to  be  used  as  the  great  thorou-hfure 
m  time  to  come  to  the  full  consummation  of  its  ancien't  and 


4  a-  >-     r^li 


280 


ANTIQUARIAN   EKSEAECIIES. 


dignified  title;  that  it  will  lead  along  through  the  holy  land 
the  sons  of  all  nations,  presenting  to  their  view  the  remaining 
relics  of  a  custom  once  universal,  but  now  to  all  alike  un- 
known. 

In  pursuing  this  trail,  even  the  most  indifferent  traveller 
can  not  fail  to  observe  and  feel  an  interest  in  the  mysterious 
ruins  presented  to  view,  in  the  greatest  diversity  of  form,  and 
by  their  numbers  indicative  of  an  industry  and  energy  be- 
coming the  most  energetic  and  ambitious  nations  of  theearth. 
Having  previously  given  the  forms  and  figures  of  the  most  of 
those  relics,  as  seen  in  relative  positions  at  various  other 
points,  I  may  now  proceed  to  notice  such  figures  of  the  holy 
land  as  are  rarely  seen  in  any  other  region  with  which  I  have 
■  heretofore  been  personally  familiar.     Among  these  the  mounds 
of  migration  stand  most  conspicuous.     They  present  a  group 
or  range  of  animal  efiigies,  unlike  any  that  I  had  previously 
observed  in  physical  form,  with  the  exception  of  one  seen  in 
the  valley  of  the  Scioto,  diflering,  however,  iu   relative  ar- 
rangement from  all  effigies  heretofore  noticed. 

They  are  sometimes  enclosed  within  an  oblong  circular 
area,  surrounded  by  an  earthen  wall,  with  no  other  appen- 
dage, as  represented  in  Cut  Z,  fig.  2.  This  group  is  scattered 
along  the  trail,  forming  an  unbroken  range  of  nearly  three 
hundred  and  seventy-five  poles  in  length.     It  commences 
with  a  conical  mound  of  about  fifty  feet  iu  base  diamfeter,  and 
foin-  in  hei^^ht,  composed  of  sand  raid  ashes  mingled  with 
small  bits      charcoal,  resembling  in  size,  form,  and  material, 
others  found  in  the  adjacent  country,  and  along  the  Eock 
river,  in  Illinois,  and  on  the  Wabash.     It  was  recognised  by 
De-coo-dah,  as   a   funeral   pile   where    the   body  was   con- 
sumed after  death.     The  second  noticed  in  the  range  was  an 
elongated  work  or  wall  about  fifty-one  feet  in  length,  twelve 
wide  and  three  in  height,  and  was  composed  of  clay,  similar 
to  that  found  beneath  the  surface  soil  in  the  vicinity.     It  is 
traditionally  represented  to  be  a  national  mound.     TJie  third 
is  presented  in  the  form  of  a  human  figure  one  hundred  and 
forty  feet  long,  thirty-one  feet  broad,  measuring  across  the 
body,  with  projections  on  either  side  seventy  feet  iu  length, 


M0UXD3   OF  MIGRATION. 


281 


representing  arms.  Tlio  legs  diverge' from  tlie  body,  forty- 
live  feet  m  length,  and  at  their  extremities  are  seventeen  feet 
apart,  tlius  presenting  tlie  form  of  a  prostrate  human  fi-nuo 
with  arms  and  feet  expanded  at  full  length.  The  head  o"'  the 
elhgy  IS  well-proportioned  with  the  body,  being  about  twenty 
live  feet  in  base  breadth.  The  fourth  and  fifth  wo-ks  in  tho 
range  are  similar  in  form  and  material  to  the  second,  but  of 
arger  proportions ;  the  one  being  eighty,  and  the  other  one 
Lund  red  and  twenty  feet  long. 

The  sixth  work  is  a  circular  wall,  enclosing  an  area  of  about 
seventy-five  feet  in  base  diameter,  with  an  elevation  of  about 
two  feet,  and  is  located  about  fifty  feet  north  of  the  lineal 
wnge.     It  was  represented  by  De-coo-dah  as  havin-  been  de- 
signed  to  form  the  base  of  a  second  f.meral-pile  of  larc^er 
dimensions  than  the  first,  but  it  was  deserted  and  left  in  \n 
unfinished  condition  by  its  projectors.    The  seventh  work  'in 
the  range  is  an  animal  effigy,  about  one  hundred  feet  lonr,  and 
twenty-two  in  breadth,  with  a  general  elevation  of  near!  v'three 
teet,  and  resembles  in  form  those  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Cass 
v^lle  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  from  the  jnnction 
0.  Rock  river  to  the  junction  of  the  Wisconsin.     It  also  re- 
sembles the  enclosed  animal  effigy  of  the  Scioto  valley  in  the 
absence  of  a  tail,  whicli  is  also  a  singularity  that  characterizes 
the  entire  g.-oup  of  animal  effigies  at  this  point,  and  distin- 
guishes them  from  many  others  that  are  found  in  the  surnnmd- 
ing  country.     But  there  is  yet  a  more  strange  peculiarity  in 
the  relative  position  of  this  effigy  to  the  remaining  effi.Wes  that 
form  the  range,  which  we  have  failed  to  discovei  in  any  other 
range  heretofore  examined.     Its  arrangement  in  the  <.roup  is 
transverse.     National   mounds   in    lineal   ranges,  frSniently 
occur  in  transverse  position,  while  effigies  in  these  lines  are 
never  so  found.    The  eighth  and  ninth  works  in  the  ranc^e  are 
simdar  m  configuration  to  the  second  and  fourth  desci-ibed 
but  are  of  smaller  dimensions,  occui)ying  interchanc^ed  po.i! 
tions,  the  larger  work  being  placed  in  the  rear;  boH,  work, 
however,  have  uniformity  in   order.     Tho   tenth,   eleventh' 
twelfth,  and  thirteenth  works  in  the  range,  are  animal  effi^ie.' 
and  the  first,  second,  and  fourth,  of  these  have  generaruni! 


282 


ANTIQUARIAN   RKSKAliCIIES. 


formity  in  form.    Tl.o  tl.ird,  resembling  the  transverse  eflii^y, 
differs  in  the  form  of  the  head  from  the  tlireo  with  which  it  is 
directlj  associated.     The  foiirteentli  work  is  a  national  mound, 
similar  in  form  to  those  previously  described  in  the  range,  and 
occupies  a  position  between  the  fourth  and   fifth  regularly- 
arranged  lines  of  effigies,  separating  the  fifteenth  from  the 
thirteenth  work  in  the  group,  the  fifteenth  work  being  an  ani- 
mal effigy.     Tlie  last  in  the  lino  presents  perfect  identity  in 
general  configuration  with  the  transverse  and  fourth  effi'c^ies 
in  the  animal  range.    These  three  diff^er  in  physical  form 
from  the  other  three,  in  the  protuberance  of  the  body  beyond 
the  hinder-leg,  and  in  the  general  configuration  of  the  head, 
while  the  other  three  present  uniformity  in  the  natural  propor- 
tions and  form  of  the  head  of  a  quadruped.     The  transverse, 
or  first  animal  efl3gy,  in  connection  with  the  fourth,  sixth,  and 
last  effigy  in  the  range,  present  in  the  general  configuration 
of  the  head,  an  elongation  that  resembles  the  beak  of  a  bird. 
While  those  effigies  preserve  general  uniformity  in  base  width^ 
they  vary  in  length  from  ten  to  twenty-six  feet;  the  smaller 
being  ninety  feet  in  length,  occupies  a  front  position  in  the 
range.     The  sixteenth  work  being  a  national  mound,  similar 
111  form  and  dimensions  to  the  last  described  of  that  order,  is 
located  a  little  south  of  the  main  line,  diverging  from  the  same 
to  the  southeast. 

Having  described  the  extent  and  relative  position  of  the 
effigies  in  this  group,  the  reader  is  referred' for  form  to  Cut  Z, 
fig.  2,  for  quadrupeds,  and  to  Cut  M,  for  the  form  of  the 
human  effigy,  where  a  faithful  delineation  will  appear,  omit- 
ting the  funeral-pile  that  is  portrayed  between  the  feet  of  that 
figure.  We  may  now  proceed  to  detail  the  traditions  of  De- 
coo-dah  relating  to  the  origin  and  use  of  those  strange  symbols. 
Having  been  frequently  noticed  and  partially  described  by 
various  writers  in  periodicals  and  other  literary  communica- 
tions, a  diagram  of  the  work  is  deemed  superfluous  in  this 
connection.  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  faithful  delineation 
given  by  Mr.  R.  C.  Taylor,  and  published  in  the  first  volume 
of  the  Contributions,  &c.,  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  on 
page  126  of  thrt  work. 


MOUNDS    OF    MIGRATION. 


283 


These,"  sa.d  De-coo-dab,  "are  memorials  of  migration, 
and  belong  to  a  portion  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  the  great 
c.t,y  m  the  vicinity  of  Cassville.     [See  Cut  R.]     Here  we  be- 
ho  d  .the  six  animal  effigies,  slightly  differing  in  forn,,  sym- 
bo  i.ing  the  migration  of  the  six  tribes,  and  absence  of  the 
tail  to  each  ofhgy,  records  the  circumstance  that  a  portion  of 
each  tribe  was  dismembered  and  left  behind.     In  their  mi-ra 
t.on  south,  they  tarried  in  these  regions  until  after  the  dt^ath 
ot  tlie.r  leader,  as  indicated  in  the  human  effi.ry.    Three  of 
the  tribes  descended  from  the  ancient  Buffalo  nation,  as  rei)- 
resented  by  the  natural  form  of  that  animal,  but  the  remain- 
ing three  descended  from  tribes  that  were  governed  by  the 
sovereign  eagles  that  frequently  appear  in  cfRgy  on  the  high- 
lands ot  the  Kickapoo,  and  at  Prairie  du  Chien.    [See  Cut  S  1 
Their  genealogy  is  indicated  in  the  beak  attached  to  the  head 
of  the  three  biped  effigies.    Their  ruler,  or  leader,  was  de- 
scended from  the  eagle  tribes,  as  prefigured  in  the  transverse 
position  of  the  biped  animal  effigy;  that  position  also  is  the 
record  of  h,s  death,  in  connection  with  the  human  effigy. 
The  nahonal,  or  oblong  mounds,  situated  between  the  trans- 
verse effigy  and  the  continuous  range,  being  unequal  in  length, 
the  longest  being  adjacent  to  the  departed  ruler,  indicates  his 
superiority,  while  the  shorter  work  adjacent  to  and  in  range 
with  the  oblong  work  and  continuous  line  of  effigies,  relates  to 
bis  successor,  and  records  his  youth  at  the  time  he  became 
ruler  of  the  tribes.     The  third  effigy  in  the  advancing  range 
having  the  bird's  head,  memorializes  the  continuous  distinc' 
tion  between  the  united  tribes,  and  the  leading  effigy  bein<. 
of  the  biped  race,  indicates  that  the  descendants  of  the  eaglet 
retained  the  ruling  power  in  their  migration.    The  increased 
length   of  the   oblong,  or  national  mound,  separatino-  the 
governor  from  the  governed,  bears  record  of  the  growth  and 
rising  influence  of  their  ruler  during  their  sojourn  in  the  holy 
land  ;   the  oblong  mound  in  front  of  the  leadino-  effi<ry  di- 
verging  south,  records  the  course  observed  in  their  final  mi- 
gration  or  departure  from  the  holy  land.     The  mingled  posi- 
tion observed  in  the  erection  of  those  commemorative  monu- 
ments, indicates  matrimonial  amalgamation  among  all  the 


284 


ANTIQUAUIAN   UKSKAKCIIES. 


tribes^  l.el.in^rlnn.  to  tliis  coDsolidution  of  power,  and  "  it  is 
thus,"  said  Dt3-C(KMlali,  «  wo  account  for  the  strange  and  uii- 
iiiitiind  cunfif^niration  of  birds  and  other  animals,  seen  in  paint- 
in-  and  scniptiiro  on  rochs,  in  caverns,  and  secluded  places, 
whero  they  have  been  protected  from  the  wear  of  time  in  the 
positions  tiiej  occupy." 

There  are  many  effigies  of  various  forms  in  the  regions 
bor.lcnng  on  the  four  lakes,  but  we  only  recognised  the  biquid 
oftgy  at  the  aforesaid  point;  I  have,  however,  since  discover- 
ed two  groups  of  that  form  in  connection  ;  three  resembling 
those  near  the  blue  mounds,  about  twelve  miles  below  Lafay- 
ette, on  the  Wabash.    They  were  located  three  on  either  side 
of  that  river.    The  groups,  being  about  three  miles  distant 
from  each  other,  occupy  a  southeast  line,  with  the  liead  of 
each  effigy  pointing  eastward,  but  are  niucli  smaller  in  con- 
struction, the  longest  being  only  thirty-six,  and  the  shortest 
twenty-seven  feet  in  length.     Located  on  cultivated  land,  each 
season  tends  to  deface,  and  a  few  years  will  entirely  obliterate 
them.    East  and  south  of  these  groups,  I  have  discovered  no 
works  similar  in  configuration,  except  that  found  enclosed  in 
the  Scioto  valley  (previously  noticed),  and  represented  as  the 
funeral-pile  of  the  last  chief  of  the  six  migrating  tribes. 

That  a  migration  from  the  valley  of  the  upper  Mississippi 
to  that  of  the  Scioto, did  occur  at  some  era,  is  further  attested 
in  the  appearance  of  the  remains  of  the  symbolical  serpent, 
so  common  in  Iowa  and  the  territory  west^  in  connection  with 
the  traditional  Tortoise  and  sacrificial  appendages,  as  well  as  the 
triangular  works  and  the  crescent  form.     On  a  hill  in  Adams 
county,  in  Ohio,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  three  forks  of  Brush 
creek,  my  attention  was  called  to  a  view  of  this  remarkable 
work  in  the  spring  of  1832,  by  Mr.  James  Black,  a  celebrated 
bee  hunter,  resident  in  the  vicinity.     This  group  of  works  is 
located  on  a  high  crescent-formed  hill,  occupying  a  position 
that  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  lower  land  and  allu- 
vial terraces  of  Brush  creek,  above  the  base  of  which  it  towers 
to  tlie  height  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet.     The  visit 
being  accidental,  I  was  unable  to  obtain  the  accurate  dimen- 
sion of  the  work ;  a  plan  of  which  has,  however,  been  since 


MOUNDS   OF   MIGKATION. 


285 


given,  and  pul.lished  by  tl.e  S.nitlisonian  Institution      This 
cro8cent-lunnecl  hill  presents  ft  convex,  or  slightly-ovul  gur- 
lace,  ot  about  fifty  puces  in  width,  and  three  hundred  and 
lorty  in  length,  measuring  from  its  connection  with  the  main 
land  to  Its  extreme  terminus.     On  its  summit  may  he  seen,  in 
effigy,  the  form  of  a  huge  serpent,  to  which  is  appetuled,  in 
ethgy,  at  or  near  the  point  of  the  hill,  the  body  of  a  tortoise 
measuring  about  fifty  paces  in  length,  by  twenty-six  in  l,readth,' 
Its  greatest  perpendicular  altitude  being  about  four  feet,  pro- 
Hontmg  an  oblong  oval  surface,  conforming  in  fig,„.o  to  the 
back  ot  that  animal.     Diverging  from  this  efl^gy,  and  conform- 
jng  to  the  curve  of  the  hill,  in  gracef.d  serpentine  undulations, 
lies  the  efiigy  of  a  serpent,  running  back  about  two  hundred 
and  thirty  paces,  with  a  central  base  diameter  of  about  ten 
paces,  with  a  slight  contraction  to  the  head  and  tail  •  its  cen- 
tral altitude  is  about  five  feet,  gradually  descending  to  the 
head  and  tail.     It  can  not  fail  to  present  to  the  eye  of  U.e  most 
skeptical  observer,  the  form  of  an  anaconda  or  huge  snake, 
with  wide  distended  jaws,  in  the  act  of  devouring  its  prey     On 
the  back  of  the  tortoise  was  a  sacrificial  altar,  bearin-  the  im- 
press  of  intense  heat     This  altar  conformed  in  its  construction 
to  the  body  on  which  it  rested,  presenting  an  oval  figure,  form- 
ing,  m  comparative  miniature,  a  stone  tortoise.    The  surface 
was  composed  of  water-washed  rock,  evidently  obtained  at  some 
distant  point,  and  bearing  no  impression  of  fire.     On  removin.. 
the  surface-covering,  I  came  in  contact  with  a  more  solid  struc^- 
ture  ot  larger  stones,  bearing  the  impress  of  intense  heat,  and 
rny  first  impressions  were  that  it  had  been  constructed  by  tho 
Indians  and  used  as  a  furnace  to  smelt  ores  of  some  kind 
Under  this  impression,  I  obtained  a  crowbar  and  some  Land- 
sp.kes,  and  at  a  cost  of  much  labor,  succeeded  in  raising  the 
ent  re  stone-work,  hoping  to  find  some  relic  of  metal  in  confir- 
mation  o.  my  opinion  ;  but  in  this  I  failed,  and  was  compelled 
to  eave  without  coming  to  any  satisfiictory  conclusion  relative 
to  the  origin  or  use  of  the  work. 
The  serpent  terminates  in  a  triple  coil  at  the  tail,  near  which 

liaTl".      \'w  "'' ''  ""'^'  ^"'-^"^^  dimensions,  however, 
than  the  other,  that  presents  no  stone-work,  or  other  indica' 


280 


ANTFCIUARIAN   RKSKAIlCHEfl. 


tions  of'firo.  Nimr  tl.e  centre  of  H,o  isthmus  tl.nt  connocte 
the  main  liuul  with  the  cre,u;cnt,  thero  is  ft  hvrgo  tninciited 
niouml  thut  was  foiincd  of  earth  uiid  saiul  min^'led  with  char 
coftl  and  8hiIvod  ashes.  On  eithor  side  of  tlie  head  of  the 
great  serpent,  there  are  trian^r,dar  wurliB  of  snudl  dimeiisioriH, 
but  in  figure  the  same  with  those  found  in  Wisconsin  and  Min- 
nesota. (See  Cut  P,  fij,.  3.)  The  Minnesota  works  only  ditrcr 
from  those  i)rt"8oiited  in  tlic  a])].endod  Cut  U,  fitr.  3,'  i„  t],o 
more  perfect  retention  of  ori-inal  form.  The  curious  traveller 
may  view  with  astonishment,  and  the  antiquarian  describe 
with  accuracy,  the  singular  forms  and  extent  of  those  straiHro 
rebcs  of  antiquity,  with  an  intervening  space  of  hundreds  of 
nides,  and  tiius  form  some  idea  of  their  extent  and  magnitude  ; 
but  it  is  not  until  the  •  have  been  faithfullv  i)ortrayed  in  dia- 
grams, and  placed  side  by  side,  that  we  realize  their  afTiuity 
or  jM-obable  nniforin  desigr. 

Let  the  reader  contrast  the  serpentine  range  of  conical 
mounds  located  on  I'le  heights  of  Eustice's  point,  m  Iowa 
couforu)mg  to  the  serpentine  range  of  the  high  land  on  which 
It  rests  (as  seen  in  Cut  IF,  fig.  1),  with  the  figure  seen  in  Cut 
U,  fig.  3,  situated  on  a  towering  crescent-formed  hill  in  Adams 
county,  Ohio,  and  he  will  not  fail  to  recognise  a  striking  affinity 
jn  form,  position,  and  relative  nrrangement,  in  those  strange 
and  far-separated  works.  While  figures  2  and  3,  Cut  fl, 
present  identity  in  structure  and  symbol,  differing  slightly  iu 
relative  position,  so  striking,  indeed,  ia  the  simihuity  be- 
tween all  of  those  works,  that  were  they  all  adjacent  to  each 
other,  common  consent  would  at  once  concede  imity  of  ori<dn 
and  use,  '' 

And,  in  connection  with  these,  we  have  only  to  advance  a 
few  miles  north  to  the  vicinity  of  Granville,  in  Licking  county, 
Ohio,  and  we  perceive,  situated  on  a  high  and  beautiful 
natural  mound,  resembling  in  figure  the  greater  artificial 
truncated  works  of  the  west,  the  efRgy  of  a  huge  animal,  re- 
semblmg  the  traditional  alligator  of  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  and 
northern  Illinois.  (See  Cut  U,  fig.  1.)  Adjacent  is  an  altar 
of  stone,  similar  in  form  and  feature  to  that  previously  de- 
scribed in  connection' with  the  Brush  creek  serpent  and  tor- 


MOUNDS    OK"    MIOBATION. 


287 


tolflc.  The  clevAtod  poeition  of  tlioao  straiigo  works,  tojrollior 
with  tho  unity  of  thoir  q)p('n'lage8,  wo  conceive,  nt  least,  en- 
titles thorn  to  identity  in  chUHification  nnd  national  origin, 
and  goes  fvr  to  sustain  tho  tiuditional  Jiistory  of  anci'  nt  mi- 
gration. 


^OBT   DEFIANCR    OHIO, 


r^t^^'^ 


ExPLANATiox.— At  ench  corner  Is  a  blockhouse,  oonsfnicted  as  nt  A;  B,  port- 
holes;  D,  chimney;  C.  Pickets;  v.w,  a  wnll  of  earth;  ee,  gateways;  F,  wall  of 
earth;  G,  a  draw-briJ-e;  If,  officers' quarters ;  I,  storehouses ;  K.  pickets;  M, 
a  sand-'.ar  at  the  junction  of  tlie  rivers,  wliere  wuter  was  obtained. 


288 


ANTIQUARIAN  EESEARCnES. 


CIIAPTEE  XXXI. 


THE   ANCIENT  AMERICANS'   FISII-TRAP. 

TT  is  supposed  hy  some,  tliat  a  portion  of  the  monnd-bviildera 
-■-  subsisted  much  on  fish,  and  this  presumption  is  sustained 
by  several  facts  nrged  in  its  support,  to  wit:  many  of  their 
greatest  v:orks  are  located  along  such  water-courses  and  lakes 
as  abound  most  with  fish  of  fine  flavor  and  large  size,  while 
in  the  vicinity  of  water-courses  that  fail  in  autumn,  where 
fish  are  rarely  seen  in  abundance,  few  earth-worlcs  appear.  It 
has  also  been  argued  that  tliey  were  an  agricultural  people, 
with  an  equal  show  of  reason  in  some  localities,  such  as  those 
of  the  Miami,  Scioto,  (Src,  where  these  works  appear  sur- 
rounded by  an  exceedingly  fertile  soil ;  but  a  view  of  some 
great  and  extensive  works  bordering  along  the  northern  lakes, 
surrounded  by  a  sandy,  barren  soil,  remote  from  their  more 
ferti''.  lands  where  none  appear,  would  seem  to  conflict  in 
some  degree  with  tlio  latter  opinion  ;  that  they  were  extreme- 
ly fond  of  fish  is,  however,  additionally  attested  in  the  dis- 
covery of  their  traditional  fish-trap,  th.it  would  seem  to  have 
been  formed  at  the  expense  of  much  labor;  this  trap,  or  fish- 
pot,  was  formed  by  cutting  a  hole  in  the  solid  rock,  in  the 
bed  or  bottom  of  a  living  stream  of  water,  from  three  to  five 
feet  in  diameter  at  the  month,  or  surface,  and  from  five  to  six 
at  tlie  bottom,  presenting  the  interior  form  of  a  churn  or  firkin. 
These  traps  are  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  deep,  and  are  made 
smooth  around  the  top  or  rim,  covered  with  a  thin  flat  rock 
fitted  on,  with  a  round  or  square  hole  in  the  centre  of  about 
twelve  inches  in  diameter;  this  hole  i?  closed  at  will,  with  a 
stone  stopple  perforated  with  small  holes,  and  dressed  to  fit 
ncatl}^;  I  dicJcovored  four  of  those  ancient  fiah-pots  on  a 
small  tributary  of  the  St.  Peter's  river,  that  flowed  from  three 


ANCIENT  AMERICAN   PISH-TEAP. 


289 


large  springs,  all  of  which  rise  within  one  mile  of  the  river 
and  unite  about  midway  between  their  sources  and  confluence' 
About  ten  poles  below  their  junction  they  flow  over  the  spr, 
face  of  a  soft  slate  rock  in  which  four  excavations  as  before 
described  appear,  and  a  short  distance  below,  I  discovered  a 
stopple  as  before  described,  that  fitted  neatly  the  cap  of  one 
of  the  central  wells.    The  sheet  of  water  flowing  over  the 
wells  was  about  ten  inches  in  depth  ;  De-coo-dah  being  with 
me  at  the  tune  of  the  discovery  remarked,  that  many  of  those 
wells  could  be  found  in  other  streams  that  were  now  ^lled 
with  mud  and  stone,  and  thus  remained  unobserved  ;   and 
that  they  were  anciently  made  and  used  as  reservoirs  to  secure 
lish  for  winter  supplies;  that  those  fish  were  obtained  by  de- 
positing large  quantities  of  food,  or  bait,  in  the  well  to  which 
the  fish  gathered  together  in  the  fall,  and  when  a  large  num- 
ber had  congregated,  the  stopple  was  introduced,  and  thus 
prevented  the  escape  of  such  as  could  not  pass  through  the 
holes ;  those  were  fed  and  retained  for  winter  supplies,  and 
were  easily  taken  in  the  use  of  a  net  made  for  that  purpose- 
on  the  discovery  of  similar  wells  in  Paint  creek,  in  Ross 
county,  01.10,  they  became  the  subject  of  much  conjectural 
fipeculation,  some  supposed  them  to  have  been  formed  in  dig- 
ging for  salt,  others  for  paint,  mineral,  or  precious  stones; 
while  others  attributed  their  origin  to  natural  causes,  but  none 
assigned  to  them  any  particular  design  ;  but,  without  stopping 
to  make  further  inquiry,  I  deem  the  traditional  history  of  De- 
coo-dah  most  rational,  and  recognise  in  it  the  discovery  of  a 
long  lost  art,  in  the  economy  of  fishing,  that  may  again  be 
profitably  adopted  by  any  that  are  in  the  possession  of  good 
Bprings,  or  brooks  of  living  water,  at  a  small  cost. 

19 


290^ 


ANTIQUARIAN   EESEAK0HK8. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


DEPOSITES   OF   METAL. 

'T^HE  antiquities  of  the  race,  M'hose  dominion  onder  the  rule 
-*-  and  reign  of  civilization  is  fast  declining,  inevitably  doomed 
to  speedy  extinction,  lie  shrouded  in  the  dark  veil  of  the  for- 
gotten past,  the  subject  of  conjectural  speculation,  of  whom  we 
know  but  little  beyond  the  era  of  the  personal  intercourse  of 
European  nations  within  the  past  three  centuries,  save  through 
the  uncertain  lights  of  fading  tradition.  The  origin  of  the 
North  American  Indian  is  even  more  mysterious  in  the  ab- 
sence of  antiquarian  relics  of  art  or  enterprise  than  that  of  the 
mound-builder,  whose  dominion  stands  recorded  in  monu- 
mental effort,  in  one  unbroken  belt  around  the  globe.  Yet 
each  liave  in  their  turn  left  memorials  characterizing  distinct 
nationality;  but  those  memorials  mingled,  mixed,  and  scat- 
tered abroad  on  or  near  the  surface  of  the  earth  throughout 
this  entire  continent,  entombed  in  the  mound,  or  buried  by 
avalanches,  or  huge  landslides  from  the  hills  or  mountains  in 
our  western  vales,  render  satisfactory  discrimination  exceed- 
ingly difficult;  and,  in  addition  to  this,  the  early  pioneering 
of  three  nations,  to  wit — the  Spaniard,  the  French,  and  En- 
glish, each  jealous  of  the  other,  and  speaking  different  lan- 
guage, and  occupying  distant  localities,  with  various  theologi- 
cal emblems  that,  under  the  prevailing  customs  within  their 
several  localities  were  entombed  with  their  bodies,  or  per- 
mitted to  accompany  their  bones  that  bleached  the  earth ; 
then  add  to  these  the  various  trajipings  of  their  military  cos- 
tumes, and  it  no  longer  remains  a  matter  of  wonder  that  great 
divei-sity  of  art,  form,  and  finish,  should  pervade  among  the 
relics  that  in  modern  times  are  disentombed.  In  the  onward 
march  of  improvement,  agriculture,  art,  science,  and  litera- 


DEPOSITES   OF  METAL. 


291 


tiire,  we  have  only  to  compare  the  relics  found  with   th# 
known  emblems  and  costumes  of  those  several  races  wi.hin 
the  last  three  centuries  to  account  rationally  for  the  presence 
and  appearance  of  many  of  them  ;  great  caution,  however,  is 
necessary  in  arriving  at  correct  conclusions  respecting  the  an- 
tiquities in  question,  lest  the  remains  of  one  be  mistaken  and 
attributed  to  another;  a  corresponding  discrimination  in  the 
form,  construction,  position,  and  adaptation  of  the  various  ar- 
rangements of  earthen  structures,  is  equally  necessary  in  ar- 
riving at  correct  or  reasonable  conchisions  relative  to  their 
origin  and  use.    This  fact  the  reader  will  readily  realize  in 
view  of  the  cuts  previously  inserted  in  this  work,  representing 
military  fortifications  of  the  present  age,  that  if  permitted  to 
remain  unmolested,  in  a  few  centuries  their  corre?ponding 
form  and  relative  arrangement  would  transfer  and  identify  tliem 
with  the  works  of  the  mound-builders  of  eras  long  gon«  by 
Tlie  remains  of  Fort  Necessity  on  the  Laurel  hill,  erected  to 
cover  the  retreat  of  Eraddock's  defeated  army,  now  wears  the 
aspect  of  antiquarian  origin,  and  in  the  absence  of  historical 
record,  would  now  be  classed  with  the  mounds.    This  cir- 
cumstance, in  connection  with  the  foregoing  remarks,  would 
seem  to  sustain  the  traditions  of  De-coo-dah  i-elative  to  the 
amalgamation    and   extinction  of  ancient  nationality,  and 
strengthens  the  conclusion,  that  diversity  of  form  and  identity 
of  relative  arrangement  originated  in  distinct  nationality,  of 
which  the  amalgamated  effigies  bear  record. 

There  is  also  so  striking  a  resemblance  between  the  modern 
structures  of  Fort  Hamilton  and  Fort  Meigs,  on  the  Miami 
and  Maumee  rivers,  and  many  of  those  earth-works  in  the  same 
regions  whose  origin  is  entirely  lost  in  tlie  lapse  of  time,  that 
in  the  pbsence  of  literal  record  they  would  soon  merge  into' 
and  be  reasonably  recognised  as  having  originated  in  coiJ 
mon  with  the  mound-builders.    And  when  we  bring  into  ac- 
count the  beauty  and  fertility  of  this  fascinating  vale,  so  well 
adapted  to  the  wants  of  man  civih'zed  or  savage,  in  the  pro- 
duction of  vegetation  or  the  propagation  of  game,  it  no  loncrer 
remains  fi  matter  of  wonder  that  it  should  have  teem*  u^th 
contention  for  occupancy  in  past  ages,  and  in  the  change  and 


292 


ANTIQUAEIAN   EESEAECnES. 


Variety  of  manners  and  costumes,  would  necessarily  give  rise 
to  diversity  in  form  of  symbols  in  sculpture,  and  relative  ar- 
rangement in  monumental  record.  And  thus  it  is  that  many 
of  the  relics  that  have  been  discovered  belonging  to  ren)ote  an- 
tiquity, have  become  merged  will:  those  of  more  recent  origin, 
that  find  a  general  disclaimer  among  the  piesent  race  of  In- 
dians relative  to  origin  or  use  with  them  or  their  ancestors. 

The  rich  valley  of  the  Mississippi  seems  long  to  have  been 
the  favorite  abode  of  the  Indian,  but  is  now  becoming  the 
home  of  a  portion  of  the  surplus  population  of  many  ii  a  I  ions 
that  are  blotting  out  the  most  ancient  trail  of  the  Indian,  and 
levelling  with  the  earth  the  last  remains  of  an  older  race  of 
men,  disinterring  their  idols,  and  such  other  relics  as  were 
formed  of  materials  indestructible  in  their  nature,  together 
with  others  susceptible  of  corrosion,  among  which  we  find 
specimens  of  art  unknown  among  savage  nations,  as  presented 
in  the  aj^pended  cut. 


PVont  view,  silver. 


Back  view,  copper. 


Copper  plurab. 


In  removing  the  earth  that  formed  a  conical  mound  in  the 
town  of  Marietta,  in  Ohio,  the  two  articles  here  presented 
were  disinterred;  they  appear  to  have  been  buried  with  the 
body  of  some  person  whose  remains  were  yet  apparent  in  the 
presence  of  human  bones  sufficiently  perfect  to  warrant  their 
identity  as  such.  The  circular  plate  was  formed  of  copper, 
overlaid  on  one  side  with  a  thick  plate  of  silver ;  the  copper  was 
nearlyi-educed  to  an  oxyde,  or  rust;  the  silver  was  black,  but 
not  tffnch  corroded,  and  by  rubbing  became  bright.  The 
front  or  plated  side  of  this  article  is  slightly  convex,  with  a 


DErOSlTK8   OF  METAI,. 

depressed  centre,  and  measured  two  and  a  quarter  inches 
across  the  face,  on  the  back  side  opposite  the  depression. 
Ihere  was  a  copper  rivet  passing  tlirough  two  separate  plates, 
that  seem  to  have  been  designed  as  stays  or  supports  in  fast! 
ening  the  plate  to  leather,  as  there  was  a  small  piece  of 
leather  found  between  the  plates  that  somewhat  resembled  th^ 
Bkin  of  a  mummy,  having  been  preserved  by  the  salts  of  the 
copper.    There  was  also  around  the  rivet  a  substance  that  re- 
sembled flax,  in  a  tolerable  state  of  preservation  ;  this  article 
resembled  the  bosses,  or  ornament  appended  to  the  belt  of 
broad-sword  of  the  ancient  Briton/    This  plate  lay  on  the 
tace  of  the  skeleton,  preserving  the  bone  as  it  did  the  leather 
and  hnt.    Near  the  side  of  the  body  was  found  a  plate  of 
Bilver  SIX  mches  in  length,  and  two  in  breadth,  that  woicrhed 
about  one  ounce,  ornamented  with  three  longitudinal  ridges 
havmg  four  holes  as  seen  in  the  cut.  ' 


^   There  were  also  several  pieces  of  a  copper  tube  filled  with 
iron  rust  found  near  this  plate.    These  articles  are  supposed 
to  have  been  attached  to  the  equipage  of  a  sword ;  but  no 
other  mdication  of  such  a  weapon  was  apparent,  save  a  small 
quantity  of  what  w^as  believed  to  be  iron-rust.     Near  the  feet 
o    the  skeleton  was  found  a  bolt  of  copper,  weighing  about 
th.ee  ounces,  m  the  form  of  a  plumb,  or  clock  weight  of  the 
present  time,  with  a  groove  around  the  small  end     TJiis  -ir 
ticle  seems  to  have  been  designed  for  suspension  ;  but  whetlier 
It  was  used  as  an  ornament  of  dress,  or  as  a  weapon  of  de- 
fence, IS  left  to  conjecture.    It  was  covered  with  a  coat  of 
green  rust,  and  was  much  corroded.    There  was  also  found  in 
this  mound  a  small  piece  of  iron  ore,  that  seemed   to  have 
been  subjected  to  great  heat,  it  being  partially  vitrified,  and 
of  about  the  specific  gravity  of  pure  iron. 

The  body  of  the  person  here  burned,  or  buried,  lay   upon 
the  surface  of  the  primitive  earth,  and  the  mound  seems  to  have 


I 


£94 


ANTIQTTAEIA-N  KESEARCnES. 


been  reared  over  liis  aslies.  The  skull  lay  with  the  face  np- 
M%ard,  and  from  tlie  appearance  of  several  pieces  of  charcoal, 
and  some  bits  of  partially  burned  fossil  coal,  the  black  color 
of  the  earth,  and  minj^rled  with  ashes,  it  would  seem  that  the 
fmieral  obsequies  had  been  celebrated  with  intense  heat;  and 
after  the  body  had  been  well-burned,  thei'c  was  an  arrange- 
ment  of  the  remains,  over  which  there  was  placed  a  coveritig 
of  flat  stones,  of  about  eight  feet  in  diameter  upon  which  the 
earth  tliat  seems  to  have  been  taken  from  the  adjacent  sur- 
face was  placed.  Tlie  mound  containing  no  other  perceiv- 
able deposite,  being  formed  of  sand,  clay,  and  coarse  gravel, 
Bimilar  to  that  of  the  surrounding  earth's  general  surface,  was 
about  six  feet  high,  and  thirty  five  in  base  diameter;  and  was, 
at  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  made  by  the  present  occu- 
pants, covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber. 

Doctor  Ilildieth,  whose  early  attention  was  arrested  in  the 
examination  of  tumuli  in  this  vicinity,  queries  thus  with  the 
antiquarian  world  :  "  Of  what  age,  or  of  what  nation,  were 
this  mighty  race  that  once  inhabited  the  territory  drained  by 
the  Oiiio?  Of  what  wo  see  of  their  works,  they  must  have 
been  acquainted  with  some  of  the  fine  arts,  and  sciences. 
They  have  left  us  perfect  specimens  of  circles,  squares,  octa- 
gons, parallel  lines,  on  a  grand  and  noble  scale;  and,  unless 
it  can  be  proved  that  they  had  intercourse  with  Asia  or 
Europe,  we  must  attribute  to  them  the  art  of  workino-  metals  " 


Doctor  Hildreth,  in  the  prosecution  of  his  researclies,  ob- 
tained a  plate  of  copper  taken  from  a  mound  on  the  Little 
Muskingum,  that  exhibited  the  appearance  of  having  been 
attached  by  rivets  to  leather,  somewhat  similar  to  the  one  pre- 
viously noticed,  being  perforated  with  holes  distributed  as 
Been  in  the  cut. 

This  plate  was  also  found  lying  on  the  forehead  of  a  skull 
that  was  deeply  tinged  with  green,,  being  preserved  by  the 


DEP0SITE3   OF   METAL. 


298 


Baits  of  tho  copper.  Tlie  remainder  of  tho  skeleton,  if  other 
remains  were  then  deposited,  had  entirely  disappeared.  This 
ekull  was  also  deposited  on  the  surface  of  the  primitive  earth 
and  attendant  circumstances  in  the  absence  of  other  deposite 
of  animal  matter,  entitles  it  to  a  much  higher  claim  of  anti- 
quity than  many  others  discovered  under  somewhat  analo- 
gous circumstances.  He  does  not,  however,  inform  us  whether 
this  mound  bore  any  marks  of  subsequent  interruption  since 
its  original  construction,  a  circumstance  that  is  not  uncom- 
mon among  the  truncated  mounds  along  tho  margins  of  tho 
Ohio  river,  and  its  leading  tributaries;  it  is,  however,  fre- 
quently difficult  to  determine  whether  those  interruptions  oc- 
curred in  making  deposites,  or  were  the  work  of  the  antiqua- 
rian pioneer  of  Spain  and  France,  in  their  early  explorations 
in  the  Ohio  valley. 

We  believe  many  of  the  deposites  attributed  to  the  mound- 
builders  of  metallic  composition,  to  have  belonged  to  them  at- 
tached to  their  military  costumes,  and  were,  in  accordance 
with  the  customs  of  those  among  whom  they  fell,  deposited 
•with  their  entombed  bodies.  This  conclusion  is  sustained  and 
rendered  most  probable  in  the  fiict,  that  in  the  thorough  ex- 
amination by  excavation  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four,  and 
a  partial  examination  of  more  than  four  hundred  earth-works 
of  various  forms  and  dimensions  in  the  valley  of  the  upper 
Mississippi,  I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  any  metallic 
deposite  other  than  knives,  hatchets,  and  trinkets  common 
among  the  Indian  tribes  of  that  country;  while  the  stone-pipe, 
and  implements  apparently  mechanical  and  ornamental, 
formed  of  stone,  bone,  and  shells,  curiously  wrought,  are  not 
uncommon.  And  the  axe  of  stone,  the  dart,  and  spear  of 
flint,  are  found  wherever  tho  conical  mound  appears  on  this 
continent,  together  with  pipes  for  smoking,  modern,  ancient, 
and  antique.  If  one  half  of  the  forms  found  deposited  be- 
long to  the  mound-builders,  they  must  have  been  inveterate 
smokers.  No  less  than  ninety-one  variant  forms,  that  may  be 
termed  antique,  representing  men,  birds,  beasts,  reptiles,  and 
insects,  l.avc  been  t.iken  from  mounds,  some  of  M-hich  have 
been  wrought  with  exquisite  skill,  giving  a  life-like  appear- 
ance to  the  object  of  design. 


296 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEAROnKS. 


^  From  the  great  number  discovered,  their  almost  endless  va- 
nation  of  form  the  beauty  of  sculpture,  and  richness  of  ma- 
terial,  I  infer  that  smoking  entered  deep  into  the  mythology 
or  theology  of  the  mound-builders,  and  suppose  that'the  idea 
now  entertamed  by  some  tribes  of  Indians  that  the  incense  of 
sacnfico  from  their  altars  ascends  in  the  colunm  of  smoko, 
and  IS  thus  wafted  into  the  immediate  presence  of  the  sun 
moon,  or  stars,  was  borrowed  of  them. 

It  is  singular,  however,  that  among  all  the  symbols  found 
30  the  form  of  man,  bird,  beast,  reptile,  or  insect,  we  know  of 
none,  save  the  serpent,  that  has  not  assumed  the  form  and 
me  of  the  pipe,  that  symbol,  however,  so  rarely  found  en- 
tombed was  evidently  one  of  no  minor  import  among  the 
mound-bu.lders,  as  is  abundantly  attested  in  the  nu.uber  and 
magmtude  of  earthen  effigies  bearing  and  presenting  in  di- 
re lile       '°"^^"'^^'^°  ^^^  '''™^'«  °^tural  attitudes  of  that 

But  when  reflection  unveils  the  fact  that  there  is  no  animal 
on  earth  that  presents  in  its  nature  so  lively  a  symbol  of  sin 
and  Its  consequences  as  that  reptile,  in  its  snpe.'ior  power  to 
charm  even  unto  death  the  most  timid  and  innocent  dove  we 
at  once  perceive  that  in  accordance  with  customs  common 
among  savage  nations  it  would  in  its  peculiar  nature  at  onco 
become  an  object  of  adoration  ;  and  agaiu,  when  we  reflect 
on  tl^  ant.qu.ty  of  the  symbol  having  its  origin  in  the  garden 
of  Eden,  ,t  has  probably  entered  into  every  .ysten.  of  theology 
known  among  all  the  ancient  nations  of  the  earth,  and  was 
held  up  to  view  in  various  forms,  and  in  divers  attitudes,  in 
accordance  with  the  refined  taste  or  savage  arts  of  those  that 
le^erence  them,  as  we  perceive  in  the  days  of  Moses,  it  ap- 
peared  in  brass,  the  emblem  of  salvation  ;  while,  in  the  days 
ot  Adam,  It  appeared  in  the  flesh  the  svmbol  of  sin 

It  may  not  be  unworthy  of  remark,  "that  in  regions  where 
the  serpentme  effigies  abound  in  earth,  there  has  been  none 
fonnd  in  sculpture,  while  in  the  immediate  valley  of  the 
Ohio  and  Its  tributaries,  where  serpentine  earthen  effigies  are 
very  rare,  the  serpent  sculptured  on  stone  has  h.J  di-n- 
tombed  and  removed  from  the  mounds  traditionally  repre- 


DKrosrncs  of  mictal.  297 

Bented  to  Imvo  been  of  sacred  import  among  tl.o  n.o.nd-build- 


ers. 


TJio  reverential  regard  for  the  rattlesnake,  tl.at  still 
mgers  among  a  portion  of  the  tribes  of  the  n^rtlnveste  " 
Indians  to  sneb  an  extent  that  they  rarely  wa^o  wu"^  h 
tbat  venomous  reptile,  I  in.agino,  was  inbe.it:  1  X,:  ' 
amalgamat.on  witb  tbe  monnd-bniUlers,  and  eusfains  t  e 
conens.on  m  connection  with  tnmuli,  sculpture,  painUng 
&c  ,  tbat  tins  annnal's  symbolical  import  originated  in  super 
Btihon  exceedingly  ancient.  "^  ^®* 


li'ii 


SOS 


ANTIQUARIAN   HESEAncnEB. 


CIIArTER  XXXIII. 

MODERN    AND   ANCIENT   INDIAN    IMPK8. 

A  MONO  tlic  sciilpturcd  relics  cntonibod  in  llio  mounds  of 
■^  America,  tlio  pipe  of  stone,  in  numbers  and  variety  of 
design  in  coniiguratioii,  evidenlly  predominates,  and  may  bo 
divided  into  three  classes,  llio  modern,  the  ancient,  and  an- 
tique. 

The  modern  pipe  wo  ossip:n  to  the  artistic  skill  of  the  pres- 
ent race  of  Indians,  and  their  immediate  ancestors,  as  seen  in 
Plato  IV.  It  differs  but  little  in  configuration  witii  tlie  ancient 
pipe  seen  in  Plate  VI.,  that  we  suppose  originated  with  their 
more  remote  ancestors,  and  the  only  distinguishing  feature  is 
seen  in  the  ornamental  work  that  adorns  the  modern  pipe. 
This  feature  may  be  reasonably  attributed  to  the  advantage 
gained  in  the  use  of  metallic  tools  obtained  of  Europeans,  wiMi 
which  they  have  been  formed.  This  view  of  the  subject  is 
most  evident  in  the  fact,  that  very  few  of  those  termed  mod- 
ern have  been  found  entombed  in  earthen  mounds,  or  scat- 
tered abroad  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  while  the  ancient 
pipe  is  more  frequently  found  in  the  mound,  and  often  disin- 
.  terred  by  the  plougshare  in  the  cidtifation  of  the  soil.  Of  the 
number  thus  obtained,  we  have  no  reliable  source  of  infoi-ma- 
tion;  but  the  hundreds  preserved  in  the  scientific  institu- 
tions of  America,  together  with  those  retained  by  private  gen- 
tlemen in  their  cabinets  of  curiosities,  would  ])robably  num- 
ber many  thousands;  and  as  the  limits  of  this  work  will  not 
admit  of  a  long  article  on  tlie  subject,  I  must  content  m}-- 
eelfwith  giving  the  most  predominant  configm-ation  of  such 
as  have  come  within  my  own  observation.  In  the  many  ex- 
cavations made  west  and  northwest  of  the  state  of  Ohio  I 
have  only  discovered  three  that  I  term  modern,  and  seventy- 


Plate  IV. 


MODERN  INDIAN  riPE. 


Tlate  VI. 


A^TCiEiir  ririi  of  peacr 


tl 


In 


MODERN    AND   ANOIKNT   INDIAN   riPKS. 


801 


three  that  I  term  ancient  entombed  in  monndfl,  nil  of  which 
accompanied  the  skeletons  of  persons  interred  with.n  three 
feet  of  the  snrfnce  of  the  mounds ;  and  their  general  configu- 
ration being  faithfully  delineated  in  cuts,  precludes  the  neces- 
8ity  of  a  critical  additional  detail.    The  nmterial,  however,  of 
which  the  ancient  pipe  was  composed,  consists  principally  of 
gray  sand-stone  and  clay  of  variona  colors,  rendered  hard  by 
burning.    The  modern  pipe  is  uniformly  made  of  red  pipe- 
stone  that  abounds  in  Minnesota.    The  ancient  pipe  uiftde  of 
clay  frequently  presents  in  front  rude  outlines  >.f  the  human 
face,  whie  the  modern  abounds  with  various  designs,  skilfully 
arranged,  and  neatly  executed,  indicating  an  advance  in  art 
that  savoi-s  of  European  taste.   And  some  used  by  the  present 
tribes  of  Indians,  especially  those  bordering  -n  our  western 
frontier,  are  not  only  artistically  wrought,  but  are  richly  orna- 
mented with  rings  and  bands  of  the  precious  metals,  decora- 
ted  with  beads  and  trinkets  of  various  kinds.   Such,  however, 
are  not  found  in  the  mounds,  or  disinterred  by  the  plough! 
The  sculpture  of  these  articles  attempted  in  imitation  of  the 
human  face,  and  of  various  animals,  is  often  tasteful;  but  they 
never  display  the  nice  observation  and  true  artistic  apprecia- 
tion and  skill  exhibited  by  those  that  we  term  antique.    Tho 
ancient  pipe  hero  presented,  was  taken  from  a  mound  of  the 
Blue  Earth  river,  and  held  as  an  ancient  relic  by  We-ru-cun- 
ne-gah. 


ANTIQUE    PIPES. 

In  Plate  VII.,  we  present  a  view  of  come  of  the  predomi- 
nating forms  of  pipes  taken  from  the  mounds  that  we  term 
antique.  Fig.  1,  presents  in  configuration  the  head  of  a  female. 
It  is  composed  of  a  hard  yellow  stone ;  the  features  are  regular,' 
the  nose  turns  up  slightly  at  the  point,  and  the  lips  are  thick 
and  prominent ;  the  eyes  being  closed,  gives  the  whole  a. 
placid  impression  of  quiet  repose ;  the  liead-dress  is  simple ; 
tho  eai-s,  which  are  large,  are  perforated  with  holes  around 
their  upper  edges.  At  tho  lower  and  posterior  nortlon  of  tho 
head,  drilled  in  convergent  directions,  are  two  small  holes,  that 


802 


ANTIQUARIAN    KKSKAECnES. 


were  probably  designed  for  the  int/odnction  of  stems.  I  may 
here  remark,  that  pipes  of  cla},  witli  stems  diverging  in  op- 
posite directions,  are  seen  among  some  of  Jie  northwestein 
Indian  chiefs,  that  are  by  tliem  denominated  tlie  pipe  of  friend- 
ship, and  smoked  in  nnion  by  intimate  friends,  that  were  tradi- 
tionally represented  by  De-coo-dah  as  being  anciently  used  in 
the  final  ratification  of  treaties;  each  p.trty  introducing  their 
national  pipe-stem,  regaled  thonselves  froui  the  fumes  of  the 
same  bowl,  in  token  of  future  friendshiiJ.  The  antique  stone- 
pipe,  presenting  the  features  of  females,  are  not  unfrequently 
adorned  with  a  painted  representation  of  the  new  moon,  or 
crescent,  on  the  cheek,  somewhat  resembling  those  that  are 
formed  of  earth. 

Fig.  2,  in  Plate  VII.,  represents  one  of  the  best  bpecimena 
of  art  in  sculpture,  that  has  yet  been  taken  from  the  mounds. 
It  was  carved  from  a  compact  stone,  that  has,  however,  suffer- 
ed much  from  the  action  of  fire,  that  renders  it  somewhat 
difficult  to  ascertain,  with  certainty,  the  true  quality  of  the 
original  material.  The  muscles  of  the  face  are  well  delineated, 
and  the  forehead  finely  moulded  ;  the  eyes  are  open,  and  the 
lips  are  beautifully  rounded  and  slightly  tinged  :  whether 
through  the  action  of  fire,  or  the  application  of  paint  or  stain, 
can  not  be  determined  with  certainty.  The  faithfulness  of  the 
cut  precludes  the  necessity  of  minor  detail,  and  we  have  only  to 
add,  that  the  workmanship  of  this  pipe,  in  point  of  symmetrical 
finish,  is  unsurpassed  by  anything  yet  lake*)  from  the  mounds, 
and  would  compare  favorably  with  the  finest  sculpture  of  the 
present  age.  In  the  same  mound  with  these  heads,  were  also 
discovered  many  specimens  of  fine  sculpture  of  inc^igenons 
animals,  in  which  fidelity  to  nature  is  critically  observed  and 
beantifully  delineated.  This  faithful  delineation  of  the  form 
of  animals,  now  common  among  us,  certainly  warrants  the 
conclusion  that  the  artist,  in  drawing  from  nature,  has  fur- 
nished us  with  features  upon  which  his  eye  rested,  and  thus 
favored  us  with  a  view  of  the  features  of  nations  long  lost  in 
the  lapse  of  time. 

Among;  tropical  animals  in  sculpture  taken  from  the  mounds, 
the  tiger  species  enters  largely  into  the  account,  among  which 


THE   LAMANTIN   PIPE. 


303 


WO  find  the  pantlier,  leopard,  and  wild-cat,  the  latter  of  which 
we  present  in  fig.  3,  Plate  VII.  Those  found  in  the  mounds 
are  neatly  8culi)tured  and  well  polished.  Some  are  presented 
as  standing  erect,  others  in  various  characteristic  positions 
with  whiskers  and  variegated  colors  well  exhibited.  The 
strong  jaws,  short,  thick  neck,  and  short  tail,  peculiar  to  that 
genius  ot  the  tiger  species,  are  all  faithfully  preserved.  They 
are  generally  carved  from  solid  blocks  of  red  granulated  poi^ 
phyry,  that  is  exceedingly  liard  and  susceptible  of  a  fine  finish 
The  ot;er,  the  beaver,  and  many  of  the  biquid  species,  are 
tound  wrought  of  the  same  material. 


THE  LAMANTIN   PIPE. 

^    A  great  variety  of  sculptured  figures  of  animals  are  found 
m  the  mounds,  that  evidently  originated  with  the  ancient 
Americans,  among  which  we  find  many  peculiar  to  tropical 
climates  as  far  north  as  the  state  of  Ohio.     In  Plate  VII   fie 
4,  we  present  a  faithful  delineation  of  one  of  the  Lama'ntrn 
species  — nine  sculptured  representations  of  this  animal,  have 
been  taken  from  the  mounds  in  Kentucky  and  Ohio-this 
representation  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  a  strange  creation 
ot  tancy.    The  general  figure  of  the  Lamantin,  is  known  to 
be  rather  elliptical  or  elongated,  its  head  shaped  like  a  simple 
truncated  cone,  and  terminates  in  a  thick  fleshy  snout,  semi- 
circular  at  its  extremity,  and  pierced  at  U.e  upper  part  by  two 
small  semi-circular  nostrils,  directed  forward;    the  ed-e  of 
the  upper  lip  is  tumid,  furrowed  in  the  middle,  and  provided 
with  stiff  whiskers ;  the  lower  lip  is  narrower  and  shorter  than 
the  upper,  with  small  ea.-s,  and  eyes  that  are  set  high  in  the 
head  ;  the  neck  is  scarcely  distinguishable  in  any  diminution 
ot  size  from  the  head  and  trunl: ;  the  tail  forms  about  a  fourth 
of  the  length  of  the  animal.     This  description,  from  natural 
history,  compared  with  the  sculpture  that  ic  faithfully  por- 
trayed m  the  cut,  seems  to  be  the  most  satisfiictory  evidence 
ot  Identity  of  design,  and  a  knowledge,  on  the  part  of      e 


artist,  of  the  form  and  existence  of  tropical  animals. 
The  greatest  variety,  and  some  of  the  most  beautiful 


epeci- 


80i 


ANTIQUARIAN  EESEAKOHES. 


mens  of  .art  in  sculpture,  are  seen  dh  the  ancient  American 
biquid  stone-pipe.  The  wren,  sparrow,  quail,  dove,  parrot, 
hawk,  owl,  and  buzzard,  with  a  great  variety  of  long-beaked 
and  web-footed  fowl,  have  been  taken  from  the  mounds,  indi- 
cative of  the  great  admiration  and  love  of  the  mound-builder 
of  nature's  most  beautiful  handiwork,  together  with  a  capacity 
for  imitation  on  their  part,  that  could  only  have  been  attained  in 
critical  observation,  and  a  long  cherished  study  of  nature  and 
art.  The  pipe  presented  in  fig.  6,  Plate  VII.,  I  presume  was 
designed  to  represent  the  buzzard.  It  was  carved  from  lime- 
stone, and  is  truthfully  exhibited  in  the  drawing.  Limestone, 
and  the  red  granulated  porphyry,  are  much  used  in  the  sculp- 
ture of  birds,  of  which  .'  spt^cies  now  known  in  North  Amer- 
ica are  left  unrepresented,  and  among  which  some  peculiar  to 
other  countries  appear. 

Among  the  many  antique  sculptured  representations  dis- 
covered iu  the  mounds,  evidently  dedicated  to  the  luxury  of 
smoking,  that  of  the  toad  or  frog,  is  in  no  wise  the  least  inter- 
esting to  those  that  deem  expression  in  sculpture  the  leading 
feature  of  admiration.  In  fig.  6,  Plate  VII.,  they  will  find  a 
faithful  drawing,  taken  from  a  well-finished  and  choice  speci- 
men, ill  which  there  is  something  to  amuse  and  much  to  ad- 
mire. The  knotted,  rough,  corrugated  skin,  the  form  of  the 
leg  and  toes,  the  expression  of  the  eye  and  face,  together  with 
the  attitude  of  the  bodj',  are  so  true  to  nature,  that  if  the 
sculpture  were  lying  on  the  earth,  partially  covered  by  grass, 
moss,  or  leaves,  the  imsuspecting  observer  would  be  apt  to  rec- 
ognise the  living  animal  in  the  effigy.  Several  of  those 
effigies  have  been  found  on  or  near  the  surface  of  the  earth  in 
an  unfinished  condition,  presenting  lines  and  folds  evidently 
cut  witli  tools;  the  marks  of  the  implements  used  in  chipping 
and  grooving,  are  too  clear  to  be  reasonably  mistaken ;  they 
are  generally  cut  from  blocks  of  pure  limestone. 


Plate  VII. 
ANTIQUE  PIPES, 


FEMALE  HEADS. 


1     I 


ri 

aboun 

vallej' 

conne 

sissipj: 

referei 

causes 

excee( 

thoroii 

have  ( 

brief  ( 

tion  w 

my  vi( 

isted  ii 

The 

tiop,  ai 

walls, 

cline,  1 

of  a  cii 

as  thou 

wide  d 

the  tor 

pent  a] 

the  op] 

eomewl 

rear  of 

more  6 

behind 

body, a 


EGYPTIAN   POPULATION. 


807 


CHAPTER  XSXIV. 


EOYPTIAN   POPULATION. 

^HE  evidences  of  an  ancient  and   mixed   population  in 
J-   America,  presented  on  the  interior  walls  of  caverrq  that 
abound  in  the  Atlantic  states,  and  more  abundantly  in  the 
valley  between  the  Blue  mountains  and  the  Alleganies,  in 
connection  with  those  seen  above  the  lower  rapids  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  in  Kentucky  and  Indiana,  when  considered  in 
reference  to  the  existence,  raannere,  customs,  and  probable 
causes  of  the  linal  extinction  of  the  mound-builders,  become 
exceedingly  interesting.    Among    those    best    known    and 
thoroughly  explored,  Wilson's  Cave,  in  Indiana,  e.  oms  to 
have  elicited  most  attention  as  an  antiquarian  record.     A 
brief  description  of  this  I  have  previously  given,  in  connec- 
tion with  Cut  GG,  but  will  here  notice  it  in  connection  with 
my  views  of  the  mixed  races  which  I  conclude  ancientlv  ex- 
isted in  various  portions  of  this  continent. 
_  The  tokens  of  antiquity  that  most  forcibly  arrest  the  atten- 
tion, are  seen  in  the  paintings  and  sculptured  work  on  the 
walls,  representing  the  sun  in  various  stages  of  rise  and  de- 
cline, the  moon  under  various  phases,  a  serpent  in  the  form 
of  a  circle,  with  its  tail  at  considerable  length  down  its  throat 
as  though  it  were  endeavoring  to  swallow  itself,  the  viper  with 
wide  distended  jaws  in  the  attitude  of  war  with  the  scorpion, 
the  tongueless  crocodile,  the  seven  stars  and  the  hydra  ser- 
pent apparently  arranged  in  a  detached  group  or  cluster.   On 
the  opposite  wall,  single  and  alone,  there  is  a  huge  monster 
somewhat  resembling  the  elephant.  About  twenty  feet  in  the 
rear  of  this  figure,  there  is  another  much  smaller  and  still 
more  singular  in  configuration,  with  claws  alike  before  and 
behind,  and  witli  it?  month  Tjortravef' 


ayed  in  the  cen 


body,  and  in  the  act  of  feeding  itself  with  its  foot 


LIU  ui  ita 


308 


ANTIQUAniAN   RKSEAKCHES. 


There  fire  also  inan_y  other  delineations  less  clearl}'  defined, 
interspersed  thioiighuut  the  cave,  resembling  the  vultnre,  the 
buzzard,  tlio  owl,  the  eagle,  the  dove,  the  quail,  and  others  of 
the  biped  tri he,  peculiar  to  tro[)ical  regions;  with  the  bear,  tho 
panther,  the  fox,  and  the  sloth,  and  otiier  tropical  quadrupeds. 
There  are  also  several  representations  of  human  figures  witli  cos- 
tumes resembling  tiiose  anciently  worn  by  Greeks  and  Eomans. 
This  array  of  singular  figures  evidently  implies  an  original 
design,  a  key  to  wliicli  I  conceive  is  partially  fm-nished  in  de- 
posites  eMtombed  in  the  mounds,  in  Hcative  of  a  reverential 
regard  fir  this  singular  cavern.  In  a  oi  itical  examination  of  the 
form  of  the  sculptured  pipes  taken  from  the  mouruls,  the  work- 
manship ot"  which  indica  es  the  most  exquisite  skill,  we  find 
the  identical  configuration  of  each,  and  all  the  figures  seen  in 
this  cave,  except  that  of  the  huge  monster,  and  more  strange 
noiidescript.  In  their  entombment,  we  recognise  the  rever- 
ence of  their  former  owners  for  this  subterranean  sanctuary, 
and  at  once  perceive  many  facts  from  which  we  are  led  to 
ascribe  the  origin  of  these  sti-ange  emblems  to  the  Egyptians. 
In  1795,  at  a  place  not  very  remote  from  this  cavern,  in  an- 
other cavern  in  Kentucky,  the  catacomb  peculiar  to  ancient 
Egypt  wiis  discovered,  containing  bodies  embalmed  in  as 
great  a  state  of  perfection  as  was  known  in  Egypt  in  the  days 
of  Abraham,  eighteen  hundred  years  before  Christ.  This  art 
being  chiiracteristic  of  that  nation  alone,  sustains  the  conclu- 
sion that,  where  it  is  found,  its  autho?'s  once  existed,  notwifh- 
Btanding  their  distant  national  locality  may  seem  to  conflict 
with  the  conclusion. 

If  Ptolemy,  an  Egyptian  geogrnpher  who  flourished  about 
two  tiiousand  years  ago,  was  able  to  give,  as  is  stated  by 
Morse,  a  nir.ro  modern  geographer,  a  correct  mnp  of  the  island 
of  Ireland,  u  hind  equally  remote  from  Egypt,  is  it  not  proba- 
ble that  America  was  kiu)wn  to  the  Egyjitians  ?  The  Piicene- 
cians  wIkm.wc  the  art  of  navigation  to  the  Egyptiai\s,  are  said 
toliave  di«covered  England  fourteeen  hundred  years  before 
Christ,  ami  their  country  lying  east  of  the  Mediterranean  sen, 
a  voyage  of  nearly  four  thonsaiul  miles  is  i-eqnired  to  roach 
that  point.     If  they  were  able  to  perform  such  voynges  more 


EOVrTIAN   POPOLATION. 


309 


«mn  three  tlionsand  yeara  ago,  is  it  not  prohal.lo  that  tho 
l!-g3-ptia..8  weio  ianiiliaily  acquainted  ^ith  An.eiica  at  that, 
and  ijrobaI)ly,  at  a  ni.ich  earlier  era,  especially  as  they  are 
known  to  liave  been  a  maritime  and  enterprising  people  ?     ' 

The  hydra  serpent  was  also  used  in  Egypt  as  a  symbol  to 
convey  tlie  idea  by  the  presentation  of  one  body  with  two 
heads,  that  envy  and  malice  were  iiisejiarable  ])assions,  tho 
viler  passions  being  generally  symbolized  by  venomous  rep- 
tdes.  The  scorpion  was  the  symbol  of  hatred,  and  the  viper 
of  revenge. 

Thus  far  we  liave  reasons,  through  llie  known  traditions  of 
the  Egyplians  and  Indians,  from  which  I  claim  for  the 
mound  builder  of  Ameiica  genealogical  descent  from  remote 
nations. 

Tl.o  larger  figures  represented  in  the  cave,  and  on  the  bluff- 
rocks  of  the  Mississippi,  may  have  been  peculiar  to  Ihis  con- 
tinent.    That  aninuils  of  colossal  stature  once  roamed  through 
this  valley,  and   have,  witli  tlie  mound-builders,  become  ex- 
tinct, there  can  be  no  doubt;  as  we  yet  find  theii*  bones  pre- 
Bei-ved  by  the  salts  of  the  earth  in  various  places,  and  thpir 
effigies  portrayed  in  tumuli  among  the  mounds.     It  accords 
with  the  known  customs  of  idolatrous  nations,  that  in  the 
event  of  the  existence  of  such  an  animal  it  should  become  an 
object  of  worship,  for  we  perceive,  in  the  dnvs  of  Job,  when 
the   arts  and  sciences  were   flourishing  in  Egvpt,  that  he 
Bpeaks  of  this  or  a  similar  animal,  in  connection  with  the 
ways  of  God.   "Behold  Behemoth,  his  strength  is  in  his  loins 
he  moveth  his  tail  like  a  cedar,  his  bones  are  strong  as  bai-a 
ot  iron  ;  he  is  the  chief  of  the  ways  of  God  ;"  but  we  have 
otiier  of  those  objects,  symbols  known  to  have  been  used  by 
the  ancient  Greeks  to  display  the  nature  of  (he  world,  the  at- 
tributes ot  man,  and  the  omnipotence  of  God.     In  the  early 
da.:  ^  the  Egyptians   acquired   a  knowledge  of  nature  that 
rendered  them  eminently  remarkable,  and  their  historians  in- 
torm  us  that  (heir  p,i«s*s  did  not  divulge  their  doctrines  ex- 
cept  by  the  aid  of  signs  and  figurative  emblems. 

Their  mode  was  to  discover  to  their  auditors  the  mysteries    ' 
of  God  and  nature  in  hieroglyphics,  and  in  the  use  of  certain 


310 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEARCHES. 


visible  shapes  and  forms  of  creatures  -whose  inclinations  and 
dispositions  led  to  the  knowledge  of  the  trutlis  designed  to  be 
tanght.  All  their  divinity  and  their  philosophy  was  compre- 
hended and  retained  through  these  ingenious  symbols,  and 
figurative  characters. 

In  the  common  and  almost  universal  use  of  the  pipe,  an  ob- 
ject so  constantly  before  tlie  vision  when  in  use,  an  opportu- 
nity was  afforded  in  the  same  way,  to  inculcate  doctrines  in- 
dicated by  the  shape  of  the  pipe  and  precepts  to  be  kept  in 
remembrance  for  ever.  In  the  striking  similitude  existing  be- 
tween the  general  forms  of  sculpture,  and  painted  emblems 
in  this  cave  and  in  Egypt,  the  idea  of  identity  in  origin  be- 
comes almost  irresistible ;  and  these  facts  seem  to  lead  to  the 
conclusion  that  this  cave  was  once  used  by  the  mound- 
builders  as  a  sacred  sanctuary,  and  that  at  this  point  a  colony 
either  from  Egypt,  or  of  Egyptian  descent,  at  some  era  here 
took  up  their  abode.  An  examination  of  the  theology  of 
Egypt  and  Greece  becomes  interesting  in  connection  with 
this  cave. 

The  sun,  the  most  glorious  of  all  visible  objects,  whose 
image  occupies  a  prominent  position,  and  first  attracting  the 
eye  on  entering  this  spacious  cave,  is  represented  in  history 
to  have  been  a  God  of  those  nations;  and,  with  the  mound- 
builder,  the  great  fountain  of  light  and  li;^  was  considered 
worthy  of  universal  adoration.  The  moon,  the  next  most 
beautiful  object  in  creation,  is  historically,  and  traditionally 
acknowledged  to  have  been  worshipped  as  a  subordinate  deity, 
not  only  by  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Egyptians,  but  by  the 
mound-builders  generally  who  occupied  those  regions.  This 
is  abundantly  attested  in  the  forms  of  those  luminaries  at 
various  points  heretofore  noticed  in  the  great  valley  of  the 
Misbissippi. 

The  serpent  in  the  form  of  an  orb  or  circle,  biting  its  tail, 
or  feeding  upon  itself,  was  a  figure  used  by  the  Greeks  and 
Egyptians,  to  convey  the  idea  of  perpetual  mutation  of 
creation,  and  change  of  matter.  The  same  figure  was  used 
by  the  Greeks  to  demonstrate  that  philosophical  idea  that  the 
world  feeds  upon  itself,  receiving  from  itself  continual  su^v 


EOYPTIAN  POPULATION. 


811 


l>lic8  for  renovation,  and  nourishment;  and,  again,  the  ser- 
pent in  the  traditions  of  De-coo-dah  is  not  only  recognised  on 
and  in  earth,  as  an  object  of  adoration,  but  is  also  represented 
as  ruling  in  conjunction  with  the  moon,  and  consequently  en- 
titled to  a  place  in  the  most  holy  sanctuaries  of  the  ancient 
American 


012 


▲KTiqUABIAN   BESEABOUSa. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

KXTINCTION   OF  THE   MOUND-BUILDERS. 

WIIILE  tlicro  ftro  but  few  subjects  that  have  presented  a 
more  extensive  field  for  the  investigation  of  the  practi- 
cal antiquarian,  or  the  consideration  of  the  ancient  or  modern 
historian,  it  is  nevertheless  a  fact,  that  neither  have  hereto- 
fore bestowed  the  labor  and  thought  essential  to  the  acquisi- 
tion of  knowledge  relative  to  the  era,  origin,  or  primitive  use 
of  tumuli  that  abundantly  abound  in  Asia,  Africa,  Europe, 
and  America,  in  great  diversity  of  form  and  relative  arrange- 
ment, that  I  humbly  conceive  the  subject  morally  merits. 

The  actual  amount  of  labor  bestowed  on  eacli  continent 
of  the  globe  in  the  erection  of  earth- works,  aside  from  other 
considerations,  evidently  entitles  them  to  claim  of  nationality 
and  origin  more  antique  and  mysterious  than  any  other  relic 
known  or  noticed  in  literal  history ;  and  when  we  view  the 
complicated  variety  of  relative  arrangement  in  connection 
with  diversity  of  form,  magnitude,  and  extent  of  tumnli,  to- 
gether with  the  simplicity  of  structure  and  material  ap- 
parently arranged  with  mathematical  precision  at  many 
points  throughout  the  entire  vale  of  the  Mississippi  in  connec- 
tion with  the  thousands  of  isolated  works  that  seem  to  have 
been  erected  without  reference  to  any  apparent  or  well-de- 
fined order  in  relative  position,  in  the  absence  of  all  literal 
record,  I  falter  and  almost  fear  to  indulge  even  the  most  ra- 
tional conjecture  relative  to  their  identity  of  national  orio'in. 

"While  we  behold  the  works  of  man  interspersed  through- 
out portions  of  each  habitable  quarter  of  the  globe,  that  past 
time  has  failed  to  chronicle,  indicative  of  a  population  nu- 
merically dense,  with  physical  energy  equal  to  the  construc- 
tion of  artificial  mounds  of  colossal  magnitude  and  symmetri- 


OBOLOOIOAL  BXTINCnON. 


313 


Cftl  form,  pcrcliod  on  tlio  stimmit  of  tlie  lofty  hill,  or  profusely 
Bpreiul  abroad  on  tlio  iiiidiilatiiig  plain,  in  connection  with 
tlio  eaitlien  wall  enclosing  vapt  areas  that  have  battled  with 
tho  wubIi,  the  wear,  and  the  ravages  of  time  through  r>>es  and 
eras  buried  in  oblivion,  or  totally  lost  in  tho  continno  -s  mu- 
tation of  matter  and  mind,  save  and  except  tho  passing  noticQ 
of  the  inspired  historian,  who  declares  that  tliero  was  a  time 
when  tho  whole  earth  was  fidl  of  wickedness;  this  declara- 
tion fairly  implies  density  of  population,  and  tho  almost  utter 
extermination  of  that  people,  accounts  for  the  absence  of 
knowledge  relative  to  data  of  origin,  or  tise  of  the  mounds. 

But  the  first  work  of  Noah  after  leaving  (he  ark,  is  declared 
to  have  been  the  erection  of  an  altar,  on  which  to  offer  sacri- 
fico  unto  the  Lord,  and  most  rationally  sanctions  the  conclu- 
sion, tliat  the  earthen  mound  had  its  origin  with  the  antedilu- 
vians, of  whom  we  know  but  little,  notwithstanding  they 
filled  an  era  of  time  sufficiently  long  to  enable  them  to  people 
the  whole  earth,  and  in  their  expansion  carried  with  them  a 
custom  that  bears  record,  not  oidy  of  their  actual  existence 
on  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  but  sustains  tho  declarations  of 
tlie  holy  men  of  old,  that  spake  us  the  spirit  gave  them  utter- 
ance. 


GKCIOGICAL  EXTmCTION. 

In  the  investigation  of  ji  complication  of  causes,  in  tlie  total 
annibilaiion  of  the  mound-builders  in  Americfi,  I  shall  first  no- 
tice tlie  evidences  of  geological  convulsion,  in  connection  with 
the  ravages  of  jiestilencc  naturally  growing  out  of  the  same  ; 
and,  secondl}',  the  amalgamation  of  colors  and  races  of  men 
in  connection  with  pliysical  degeneration. 

It  is  everywhere  evident  that  this  earth  has  undergone 
many  geological  changes  that  have  materially  interrupted  its 
surface;  and  some  of  those  interruptions  having  occurred  in 
remote  eras,  and  distant  localities,  may  have  carried  in  their 
consequences,  the  total  extinction  of  all  animated  matter 
within  their  influence.     There  is  probably  no  portion  of  the 

ibe  that  verifies  this  presumption  in  its  present  geological 
tormation  more  than  tiiat  iymg  east  ot  the  Allegany  inoim- 


8U 


AMTIQUABIAN   BESUARCHEii. 


taina  in  Nortli  America,  extending  to  the  "West  India  islands. 
But  I  only  design  noticing  in  this  connection,  such  cliangea 
aa  are  sustained  by  evidences  tluvt  are  tangil)]e,  and  stand  in- 
separably connected  with  the  total  extinction  of  the  mound- 
builders  east  of  the  Blue  mountains,  running  south  from  tho 
state  of  New  York  to  the  Carolinas.     It  ia  abundantly  evi- 
dent that  this  portion  of  North  America,  has  at  some  era 
been  entirely  submerged  in  water,  in  tho  dt- posites  of  shells, 
fossil,  and  marine  substances,  and   that  this  submersion  has 
occurred  since  tho  Noachian  deluge,  is  equally  evident  in  tho 
arrangement  and  geological  formation  of  the  country.   On  ex- 
amination it  is  everywhere  evident  that  the  Blue  Ridge  pre- 
sents, in  its  formation,  a  general  mass  of  disorganized  matter, 
not  lying  in  regularly  crystallized  strata,  such  as  are  found 
in  the  adjacent  low-lands,  being  formed  and  composed  of  de- 
tached blocks  of  rock  of  various  magnitudes  imbedded  in  clay, 
mingled  in  many  places  with  vegetable  mould ;  from  these 
and  other  corresponding  circumstances,  we  are  led  to  the  con- 
clusion, that  at  some  unknown  era  in  time,  it  was,  by  one  grand 
convulsive  effort,  extending  from  one  end  to  the  other,  hove  up 
from  the  depths  beneath,  and  thus  formed  a  barrier,  or  moun- 
tain dam,  to  all  the  waters  flowing  from  the  eastern  slopes  of 
the  Allegany  mountain.    When  we  aLtentlvely  examine  the 
land  embraced  in  this  territory,  we  readily  perceive  that  this 
entire  chain  of  mountains  forming  the  Blue  Ridge,  runs  in  a 
transverse  direction  to  the  principal  rivei-s  flowing  east  to  the 
Atlantic  ocean,  such  as  the  James  river,  Potomac,  Susque- 
Lannah,  Delaware,  and  others,  all  of  which  present  evidence 
of  rupture  in  their  passage  through  the  Blue  Ridge,     But  the 
example  that  has  heretofore  attracted  most  attention,  is  seen 
in  the  Potomac  near  its  junction  with  the  Shenandoah.    Here 
the  eye  is  greeted  in  approaching  this  spot  from  the  east,  with 
a  prospect  truly  sublime  in  view  of  a  tremendous  mountain 
rampart,  towering  to  the  height  of  a  thousand  feet,  with  a 
grand   breach   from   the  top  to  the  bottom,  of  about  three 
quarters  of  a  mile  in  width,  through  which  the  victorious  Po- 
tomac now  runs,     On  both  sides  of  the  chasm,  trees  and 
Bhrubs  have  taken  root  among  the  rock?,  and  partly  conceal 


OEOLOOICAL  BXTimrnON. 


815 


Bome  of  tho  evidences  of  rupture ;  on  the  right  hftnd  Bide, 
however,  about  two  thirds  of  the  wjiy  up,  ft  huge  pcri)endicu- 
livr  eurfaco  remains  bare,  and  plainly  displays  traces  of  an- 
cient union,  with  linge  blocks  of  gray  quartz  that  by  the  im- 
petuous flood  have  been  rolled  several  miles  down  the  stream, 
where  they  yet  remain  as  testimonials  of  convulsion.  The 
corresponding  lieights  of  the  mountain  on  either  side  of  the 
chasm,  the  identity  of  strata  of  given  heights,  and  other  cir- 
cumstances, afford  abundant  evidence  that  this  place  once 
formed  a  mountain  dam,  that  obstructed  the  onward  passage 
of  the  Potomac  as  it  now  runs,  consequently  a  lake  above  of 
great  extent  must  have  been  the  result.  From  the  lines  or 
grooves  in  the  rock  that  curve  precipitately  downward  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  mountain,  I  presume  that  a  leading  issue 
from  the  lake  existed,  long  anterior  to  the  final  demolition  of 
the  mountain  at  this  point ;  and  that  falls  such  as  Niagara  now 
presents  a  similitude  in  miniature,  filled  the  surrounding  re- 
gions with  the  rumbling  roar  of  troubled  waters. 

This  conclusion  is  not  only  warranted  in  the  evidence  pre- 
»jented  on  the  spot,  bvit  is  amply  sustained  in  the  fact,  that  at 
various  other  points  along  the  mountain,  its  eastern  declivities 
present  at  their  lowest  summits,  traces  of  runnin^^  water,  curving 
precipitately  downward,  where  smaller  issues  presented  falls 
of  a  magnificent  grandeu),  that  once  marked  the  scenery  of 
primeval  landscape  with  transcendent  splendor.     Snigger's 
Gap,  in  Loudon  county,  Ya.,  furnishes  a  striking  example  to 
this  point,  and  plainly  displays  the  ancient  marks  of  running 
water  from  summit  to  base,  that  flowed  over  the  summit  in  a 
shallow  sheet  of  about  twenty  poles  in  width,  concentrating  in 
a  narrow  volume  as  it  descended,  cutting  an  irregular  chan- 
nel through  quartz  and  clay  to  the  lower  level,  where  in  ser- 
pentine trail,  it  coiled  along  to  its  issue  into  the  Potomac  at 
the  present  confluence  of  Goose  creek.    This  conclusion  is  not 
only  sustained  by  the  evidence  presented  at  the  issue  from 
the  lake,  and  the  apparent  surface  channel,  but  is  furtlier  at- 
tested in  the  fact  that  by  digging  in  this  channel  at  various 
depths,  from  four  to  fourteen  feet,  water-washed  pebbles  re- 
pembling  thoae  found  in  the  beds  of  all  the  adjacent  streams 


$16 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEAKOriRS. 


appear,  in  a  regularly-forrood    stratum  from   tlio  ilJge  to 
Goose  creek. 

At  various  other  places  along  the  mountain,  similar  evi- 
dence is  presented  at  points  where  no  living  water  may  now 
be  seen,  where  by  digging  in  ravines  diverging  from  tho 
lowest  gap  summits,  regular  beds  of  gravel,  petiifiud  shelln, 
and  water-washed  rocks  appe^.r.  Brock's  Gap  ])resents  an  ex- 
ample to  the  point,  where  the  bed  of  an  aucietit  sti-eam  may 
be  traced  to  its  junction  witii  James  river.  Tiiis  river  also 
presents  evidence  of  an  ancient  issue  from  the  lake,  ]ireviou3  to 
the  final  demolition  of  its  barrier,  wliere  falls  less  magiiilicent 
than  those  of  the  Potomac  appeared,  that  filled  the  adjiicent 
mountain-ravines  with  an  eternal  requiem  in  rumbling  echoes 
from  the  impetuous  cataract. 

It  is  also  evident  that  the  country  lying  between  the  Bbie- 
Bidge  and  the  ocean  was  sectionally  interrupted  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  mountain,  or  at  some  subsequent  period,  in  tho 
appearance  of  other  smaller  mountains  similar  in  foimation, 
some  of  which  also  present  the  appearance  of  having  formed 
small  lakes.  The  Short  hill  in  the  vicinity  of  Harper's  Ferry 
is  one  to  the  point.  This  little  mountain  of  ubout  sixteen 
miles  in  length,  running  parallel  with  the  Blue  Ridge,  from 
three  to  five  miles  distant,  presents  in  the  valley  between  a 
superficial  basin,  that  is  deepest  about  fis-e  miles  from  the 
southern  terminus  of  the  hill,  and  at  that  point  presents  evi- 
dence of  a  breach  in  miniature,  similar  to- that  seen  at  Har- 
per's Ferry,  that  finally  drained  the  little  lake;  and  in  the 
chasm  now  appears  the  antiquated-looking  little  village  of 
Hillsborouijh. 

That  the  valley  lying  between  the  ridge  and  Allegany 
mountain  forming  the  basin  of  the  great  lake,  was  also  sec- 
tionally intch-upted.  is  equally  evident  in  the  appearance  of 
several  basins  detached  from  the  great  lake  bv  intervenin"- 
highlands  bordering  along  the  unbroken  chain  of  Alleganies, 
that  also  present  issues  as  aforesaid  ;  while  at  various  other 
points  along  the  present  channel  of  the  SliLiiandoah,  there  aro 
many  signs  of  subsequent  interruption  of  primitive  formation 
seen  in  the  disorganization  of  various  strata  of  crystallized  rock, 


GEOLOGICAL   EXTINCTION. 


317 


tliat  liave  been  forced  from  tlie  cleptlis  beneath  to  tliesnrface; 
n  Rtrikinn^  example  to  tliis  point  appears  on  tlie  western  shore 
of  tlie  Sliei\and(»ali  opposite  the  Shaiinondale  Springs,  wliere  a 
Btrafnm  of  ver}'  hard  rocl<8  seems  to  liave  been  thrown  to  tho 
BUI  face  without  an  entire  disembodiment  of  the  same,  and 
presents  an  a]>parent  semicircidar  formation,  in  a  crnshed  or 
broken  condition,  re-emhodied  hy  subsequent  crystallization  ; 
also  along  tlie  channel  of  the  Oppeqiian  creek  that  traces  the 
line  of  limestone  formation  on  the  east,  separating  it  from  a 
elate  formation  on  the  west  side  of  that  stream  with  singular 
accuracy  f<jr  many  miles  along  the  margin,  and  in  the  bed  of 
this  stream  where  the  force  of  convulsion  seems  to  have  acted 
with  greatest  effect  in  the  upheaving  of  the  adjacent  high- 
land the  slate  foiination,  in  many  places,  runs  in  strata  per- 
pendicularly down  to  tho  depth  of  many  feet  in  well-defined 
eheets  lying  edgewise,  side  by  side,  indicating  the  crashing 
union  of  a  closing  crater  that  seems  to  have  been  thrown 
open  between  the  slate  and  limestone  formations.  The  de- 
posite  of  fossil  and  petrified  shells  frequently  foiind  many 
feet  beneath  the  surface  of  the  earth,  is  also  indicative  of  an 
upheaving  interruption  at  the  time  the  great  lake  occupied 
the  surface  that  buried  those  shells  and  other  remains  t\oi/f 
seen  in  fossil  deep  in  the  bowels  of  tlie  earth  ;  from  these  and 
other  corresponding  evidences,  I  conclude  that  a  doubt  can 
Bcai'cely  be  indulged  relative  to  the  former  existence  of  this 
great  lake,  and  it  oidy  remains  for  ns  to  show  liow  it  disap- 
peared, and  in  what  manner  it  was  productive  of  cause  equal 
to  the  extinction  of  any  considerable  number  of  the  mound- 
builders. 

Having  advanced  some  of  the  ideas  that  sustained  my 
opinion  relative  to  the  formation  and  ancient  existence  of  thd 
lake,  or  inland  sea,  that  covered  the  bosom  of  this  great 
vale,  then  the  elysium  of  the  lake  serpent,  and  the  home  of 
tlie  finny  tribes,  that,  throtigh  the  reign  of  eternal  mutation, 
has  now  become  the  happy  abode  of  millions  of  intelligent 
boings,  I  may  proceed  with  a  detail  of  my  views  relntive  to- 
the  caiiKe  of  mutation,  the  consequent  result  in  connection 
with  the  extinction  of  tlie  mound-builder. 


I 


318 


ANTIQUARIAN   RESEAECHEg. 


I  suppose  that  the  country  lying  between  the  Blue  "Ridge 
and  the  ocean,  at  the  time  the  waters  were  held  back,  was 
susceptible  of  tenure,  and  presented  in  its  salubrious  clime 
and  fertile  soil,  a  temptation  to  occupancy  that  would  scarcely 
be  resisted  by  any  European  nation,  and  its  contiguity  to  tha 
West  Indian  islands  would  render  its  discovery  almost  cer- 
tain from  that  source  ;  and  if,  however,  it  may  not  have  been 
discovered  from  that  source,  a  voyage  across  the  lake  would 
have  rendered  its  discovery  easy  and  certain  to  the  mound- 
builders,  by  whom  it  may,  or  may  not  have  been  colonized. 
Inasmuch  as  I  have  no  certain  data,  from  which  I  may 
clearly  infer  occupancy  by  them,  I  may  only  notice  the  cir- 
cumstances favoring  such  a  state  of  things,  in  connection  with 
the  complication  of  causes,  that  combined  in  their  final  ex- 
tinction. 

I  suppose  the  mountain  barrier  that  gave  rise  to  the  lake 
to  have  remained  an  unbroken  chain  for  many  ages  ;  for  it  is 
evident  that  it  would  require  the  lapse  of  centuries,  from  the 
apparent  sources  to  consummate  the  complete  filling  of  this 
great  reservoir,  especially  when  we  consider  the  immense 
number  of  subterranean  outlets  that  abound  under  the  title  of 
(^ves,  and  sink  holes,  throughout  the  entire  extent  of  the 
limestone  formation  that  predominates  from  one  end  of  the 
basin  to  the  other,  bearing  the  impress  of  running  water  in 
well-defined  lines  and  grooves  on  the  surface  of  the  rock  to 
depths  unknown.  Dyer's  Cave,  in  Hardy,  county,  Ya.  (see 
cut  EE),  is  situated  several  hundred  feet  above  the  bed  of  Lost 
river,  the  nearest  adjacent  stream  of  living  water;  in  this 
cave,  to  the  depth  of  several  hundred  feet,  at  various  points 
the  indications  of  running  water  are  clearly  defined,  and  at 
many  places  where  the  issue  contracts,  the  whirl  of  water  has 
opened  crevices  and  formed  chambers  as  portrayed  in  the 
drawing  that  renders  exploration  somewhat  difficult  to  those 
unacquainted  with  the  various  windings  of  this  interesting 
subterranean  issue^  the  full  extent  of  which,  in  consequence  of 
the  damps  below,  can  never  be  thoroughly  known ;  but  the 


iSSUuS,   must    Jiave    rer;iraea 


frequent  occurrence   of   such 

the   final  filling  up  of  the  great  basin,  and  afforded  ample 


u 


GEOLOGICAL  EXTmOTION. 


819 


time  to  the  ridge  to  settle  and  attain  density  suflScient  to 
withstand  the  wash  and  pressure  of  the  water,  until  finally  a 
second  convulsion  extending  from  one  end  of  the  mountain  to 
the  other,  causing  the  mountain  to  give  way  at  those  points, 
rendered  weaker  by  the  previous  wash  and  wear  of  the 
water  that  left  the  confines  of  the  lake  at  the  points  whence 
now  issue,  the  James  river,  the  Potomac,  Susquehannah, 
Schuylkill,  Delaware,  and  Hudson  rivers.  Now  if  we  admit 
those  several  issues  to  have  been  thrown  open  at  one  and  the 
same  time,  impelled  by  a  head  of  several  hundred  feet,  noth- 
ing can  be  more  reasonable  than  that  the  entire  submereion 
of  the  lower  country  followed  iu  quick  succession,  sweeping 
with  the  besom  of  destruction,  man  with  all  his  works.  This 
idea,  although  it  may  appear  somewhat  chimerical,  is  never- 
theless strengthened  in  the  examination  of  the  facts  in  con- 
nection. In  the  vicinity  of  Williamsburg,  in  Virginia,  was 
discovered  by  a  planter  in  digging  a  ditch,  about  five  feet  be- 
low the  surface,  a  considerable  portion  of  the  skeleton  of  a 
whale ;  several  fi-agments  of  ribs,  and  other  pa'-ts  suflSciently 
perfect  to  warrant  identific  ition  with  the  whole  of  the  verte- 
brae, or  back-bone,  in  the  natural  order  of  arrangement,  and 
but  little  impaired  in  form.  This  skeleton  was  discovered 
two  miles  from  James  river,  and  sixty  from  the  ocean,  of 
which  the  whale  is  believed  to  be  exclusively  an  inhabitant, 
and  was  never  known  to  exist  in  fresh-water  lakes  or  inland 
seas ;  I,  therefore,  conclude,  that  the  fonner  presence  of  the 
ocean  is  distinctly  marked  here  in  the  presence  of  its  mam- 
moth occupant,  otherwise  a  very  important  query  is  pre- 
sented, at  what  era,  and  by  what  means,  was  this  monster  en- 
abled to  avail  itself  of  the  position  it  here  occupies  ?  But  if 
we  admit  the  mountain  barrier  to  have  instantaneously  given 
way,  as  previously  noticed,  nothing  can  be  more  rational 
than  that  the  Atlantic  and  the  lake  met  on  this  lower  level, 
and  the  influx  of  the  tide  in  rolling  the  water  back,  would 
give,  at  high  ebb,  sufficient  depth  to  enable  a  pioneering 
whale  to  reach  that  point,  and  in  the  reflux  of  the  tide  be  left 
to  fl^ounder  and  die  in  the  mud  •  and  in  after-timp  rh  the 
water  i-eceded,  his  bones  were  buried  in  the  sediment  brought 


820 


ANTIQUARIAN   RR8KAKCnE8. 


down  in  the  final  draining  of  tlie  lake,  and  kept  back  by  the 
influx  of  the  tide  nntil  it  was  finally  covered  witli  vegetable 
mould,  and  preserved  by  the  salts  of  the  sea  retained"in  the 
sediment  of  entombment.     This   conclusion  is  further  sus- 
tained  in  the  additional  fact,  that  in  digging  or  boring  at  vjv- 
rjous  other  points  along  tiiis  coast,  black  mud  mingled  with 
osier,  and  the  lemains  of  trees  from  ten  to  fifty  feet  below  the 
present  surface,  yet  appear,  which  fact  also  sustains  the  con- 
elusion,  that  the  country  lying  between  the  ridge  and   the 
ocean,  was,  at  the  time  of  the  submersion,  coverecf  with  vef'e- 
tablo  matter,  much  of  which  was  also  held  back  by  the  tide, 
until  its  increased  gravity  sunk  it  to  the  bottom  where  we 
now  find  it  entombed  beneath  a  heavy  coat  of  sediment,  cov- 
ered as  aforesaid  with  vegetable  mould.     The  ancient  exist- 
ence of  this  lake  is  so  well  defined  in  boundary,  and  so  clearly 
sustained  in  the  fossil  remains  and  marine  deposites  remote 
from  the  ocean,  that  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  I  may  be  de- 
ceived in  regard  to  its  former  existence.     There  is,  probably 
no  habitable  portion  of  North  America  embracing  so  large  an 
area,  that  is  so  thoroughly  destitute  of   earthen   or  other 
remains  indicative   of  an   exceedingly   ancient  population. 
From  this  fact,  I  infer  that  the  draining  of  this  lake  occurred 
more  recently  than  others,  that  inoi-e  anciently  snbmen^ed 
the  country  bordering  the  Ohio,  .Kentucky,  and  Tennes^see 
rivers,  all   of  which  present   analogous   features,  and  were 
drained  at  eras  sufficiently  remote  to  admit  of  a  dense  popu- 
lation  that  swarmed  in  countless  millions  west  of  the  Allegany 
-to  the  Pacific  ocean,  as  their  woiks  evidently  indicate.  "^The 
Allegany  mountains  could  never  have  formed  a  barrier  to 
emigration  with  a  people  whose  energy,  ambition,  and  inde- 
fatigable industry,  in  the  erection  of  tumuli,  has  checkered 
the  plains,  and  dotted  the  mountains,  from  Labrador  to  Mexi- 
CO.    The  conclusion  becomes  irresistible,  that  the  beautiful 
valley  between  the  Allegany  and  the  Blue-Ridge,  was  not 
tenantable  in  tlie  days  of  their  glory.   But  the  draining  of  this 
valley  may  have  done  its  work  in  the  extinction  of  the°mound- 
builders  west  and  east,  if  perchance  any  n.ay  have  survived 
the  supposed  deluge.     For  it  is  evident,  that,  after  the  great 


osoiiOoioAL  Exnwonoir. 


821 


body  of  the  water  passed  off  through  the  issues  thus  made, 
there  would  not  only  remain  many  pools  of  water  which  would 
soon  become  stagnant  in  the  death  and  decomposition /)f  the 
remaining  animal  matter,  but  the  greater  portion  of  the  sur- 
face contained  in  the  great  reservoir  would  be  covered  with 
mud,  which  when  exposed  tc  the  action  of  the  sun's  rays,  would 
Boon  be  clothed  with  the  most  luxuriant  growth,  and  greatest 
variety  of  vegetable  matter,  the  decomposition  of  which, 
with  the  nauseous  effluvia  arising  from  the  stagnant  ponds, 
and  such  malaria  wafted  on  the  bosom  of  every  wind,  would 
leave  ia  its  wake  disease  and  death  on  every  side  to  an  un- 
known extent.  And  to  this  cause  we  may  reasonably  attribute 
the  total  extinction  of  the  human  family  over  a  vast  area  of 
country,  while  other  causes,  in  other  regions,  may  have 
produced  similar  results;  among  which,  I  ima'gine,  physical 
degeneration  engendered  in  the  transgression  of  the  laws  of 
nature,  has  done  its  work  among  the  mound-builders,  as  it  is 
represented  to  have  done  in  the  antediluvian  world. 

I  am  not,  however,  of  the  opinion  that  the  antediluvian 
origin  of  tumuli  necessarily  involves  the  belief  that  the 
mounds  that  now  appear  on  the  globe  were  constructed  by 
the  antediluvians  beyond  the  families  of  Koah  in  any  part 
of  the  earth,  but  that  many  of  those  that  yet  remain  in  Asia 
were  erected  by  the  immediate  descendants  of  the  families 
of  Noah,  I  have  but  little  doubt;  and  that  many  have  been 
destroyed  in  Europe  and  America  by  geological  convul8ion8 
of  nature  at  different  eras,  is  equally  evident  in  the  absence 
of  earth-works  at  various  points  where  the  evidences  of  the 
most  recent  geological  convulsions  abound  most,  and  in 
the  abundance  of  tumuU  in  all  regions  where  the  evidence  of 
convulsion  is  least  apparent.  And  it  is  a  well-established 
fact,  known  to  those  familiar  with  the  subject,  that  in  the  re- 
gions that  are  most  mountainous  on  each  continent  of  the  globe 
tumuli  is  most  rare  and  seldom  seen,  except  in  regions  wher& 
the  more  recent  submereion  and  draining  of  the  earth  has  oc- 
curred, leaving  a  sediment  or  soil  congenial  to  the  most  luxu' 

21 


323 


ANtlQUABIAN   ETJSEATICHES. 


■ 


riant  growth  of  vegetation,  inviting  in  former  age8  as  at  pres-' 
ent,  the  agriculturist  of  every  clime,  until  density  of  popu- 
lation, and  pride  of  dominion,  gave  birth  to  many  monumen- 
tal and  hieroglyphical  memorials.  This  conclusion  is  sus- 
tained in  the  abundance  of  tumuli  that  yet  apppar  through- 
out the  entire  vale  of  the  Ohio  river  and  its  tributaries,  which  I 
suppose  was  once  the  seat  of  stationary  water,  forming  an 
immense  lake,  the  sediment  of  which  gave  fertility  to  a  vast 
domain. 

The  draining  of  this  great  reservoir  I  suppose  occuiTed  at  an 
era  long  since  lost  in  the  lapse  of  time,  and  long  prior  to  the 
draining  of  the  great  vale  east  of  the  Allegany  mountains. 
And  I  account  for  its  superior  fertility  in  the  general  flatness 
of  the  surface  of  the  earth  on  which  it  rested,  and  of  that 
over  which  if  flowed  from  its  general  outlet  to  the  gulf  of 
Mexico;  having  but  one  general  outlet,  the  draining  must 
necessarily  have  been  exceedingly  slow,  and  the  draught 
being  light,  much  sediment  that  would  otherwise  have  passed 
to  the  ocean,  was  left  to  fertilize  the  plain.  Not  so,  however, 
with  the  great  lake  east  of  the  Allegany  mountains;  its  near 
proximity  to  the  ocean,  in  connection  with  its  increased  num- 
ber of  issues  flowing  at  all  points  over  an  inclined  plain, 
gave  an  additional  draught  that  consequently  removed  much 
of  the  sediment  that  would  otherwise  have  fertilized  the  east- 
ern vale,  the  lighter  particles  of  which  coming  in  contact  with 
the  tide  of  the  ocean,  were  deposited  at  remote  points,  leaving 
the  heavier  particles  to  mingle  with  the  primitive  alluvions 
of  the  plain.  And  thus  we  discover  a  sandy  surface  covering 
an  alluvion  several  feet  below  the  present  surface  on  most  of 
the  flats  that  abound  along  our  Atlantic  seashore  from  New 
York  to  the  Carolinas,  while  no  such  formation  has  vet  been 
discovered  west  of  the  Blue  mountains,  and  east  of  the 
Aileganies. 


RATIONAL   DEGENERATION. 


823 


CHAPTEB  XXXVI. 


NATIONAL   DEGENEEATION, 

I  SUPPOSE  the  origin  of  color  in  the  Imman  complexion  to 
liave  emanated  from  the  exercise  of  an  arbitrary  power 
wielded  by  the  Creator,  in  the  preparation  of  a  people  physi- 
cally adapted  to  the  present  organization  of  the  earth,  in  which 
his  capacity  and  sovereignty,  as  governor  of  the  earth,  are  no^ 
only  made  known,  but  his  supreme  wisdom  and  infinite  good- 
ness are  clearly  set  forth ;  inasmuch  as  the  same  physical  con- 
stitution suited  to  the  torrid  or  temperate  zone  fcould  not  com- 
fortably exist  in  the  colder  regions  of  higher  latitudes  north 
and  south  of  the  equator. 

And  I  suppose  this  power  was  first  exercised  in  the  family 
of  Adam;  and,  secondly,  in  the  family  of  Noah;  and  that 
the  Creator  in  drawing  a  line  of  distinction  in  the  family  of 
Adam  between  the  descendants  of  Cain  and  those  of  hia 
brethren,  not  only  changed  the  color  of  his  skin,  but  also  that 
of  his  physical  form  and  ferocious  nature.  And  that  the' 
color,  notwithstanding  it  was  a  fast  and  fixed  color,  when  im- 
pressed in  its  purity,  was,  nevertheless  subject  to  the  general 
code  of  fixed  and  immutable  laws,  that  give  and  regulate 
variety,  in  the  general  order  of  nature,  and  was  designed  in 
the  omniscience  of  Deity,  to  remain  in  existence  with  all  ani- 
mate natur;> ;  and  thus  prepare  a  partner  for  the  subject  of 
the  secondary  exercise  of  the  same  power  in  the  fiimily  of 
Noah,  preparatory  to  the  ushering  in  of  a  second  era.  And  thus 
the  descent  of  all  nations  from  one  blood  (that  blood  being 
subject  to  the  same  law  that  governs  universal  variety),  be- 
comes reconcilable  in  the  univereal  order  of  nature.  As  it  is 
found  that  no  lapse  of  time,  change  of  diet,  country,  or 
climate,  can  possibly  remove  the  leopard's  spots,  or  change  the 


824 


AJSTIQUARIAM   BKSKAR0HE8. 


Ethiopian's    skin;   neither  has  tlie  lapse  of  ages  yot  been 
known  to  change  a  white  man,  or  his  posterity,  to  the  shape 
or  color  of  an  African.    Although  the  hottest  rays  of  the 
burning  clime  of  Lybia,  may  have  scorched  him,  or  his  pos- 
tei-ity,  through  many  ages,  and  its  soil  have  fed  them  on 
roots  and  berries,  they  still  retain  the  primitive  characteristics 
of  their  nature,  as  attested  by  Morse,  the  geographer,  who  as- 
serts that  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa,  in  latitude  five  degrees 
north,  are  found  the  glossy  black,  red,  and  white  inhabitants, 
all  speaking  the  same  language,  which  is  Arabic,  living  on 
the  same  diet,  and  professing  the  same  religion,  which  is 
Mohammedan,  and  all  living  within  the  Maggadoxy  kingdom. 
These  people  having  inhabited  in  national  union  for  many 
ages  this  particular  portion  of  the  globe,  and  there  yet  being 
gome  among  them  that  retained  in  original  purity  their  pi-imi- 
tive  complexion,  would  seem  to  furnish  evidence  that  food 
and  climate  have  little  to  do  in  the  production  of  pure  com- 
plexion ;   and  Procopius,  a  Greek  historian  of  the  sixth  cen- 
tury, speaks  of  a  people  with  fair  and  ruddy  countenances 
and  yellow  hair,  that  dwelt  far  within  the  deserts  of  Lybia,' 
in  Africa.    And  Doctor  Shaw,  of  the  seventeenth  century,  in 
his  antiquarian  researches,  speaks  of  the  same  people,  occu- 
pying the  same  region  which  is  in  latitude  ten  to  twelve 
south,  and  as  retaining  their  fair  complexion  and  yellow  hair 
notwithstanding  a  lapse  of  twelve  hundred  yeara  transpired 
between  thefie  historians. 

It  is  granted,  however,  that  a  white  man  and  his  posterity 
will  tan  very  dark  by  the  heat  of  the  sun  ;  but  I  presume  it 
never  can,  as  it  never  has,  materially  altered  the  shape  of  his 
face,  or  the  quality  of  his  hair,  when  his  blood  remained  un- 
mixed with  that  of  the  darker  shades  of  the  human  family, 
Kor  do  I  suppose  that  power  in  the  decomposition  of  food 
exists  in  the  human  stomach  of  sufficient  force  to  overturn  the 
deep  foundation  of  causes  established  in  the  germ  of  being  by 
the  Creator.  Nor  can  the  mere  circumstance  of  what  a  man 
may  eat,  or  where  he  may  chance  to  breathe,  derange  the 
eeonomy  of  nret  principles. 
I  subscribe  to  this  doctrine  because  it  is  simple  and  natu- 


HATIONAL  DEOBNERATIOK. 


8Si8 


ral — tho  very  vray  in  wlucb  the  great  Author  of  creation 
works,  by  first  fixing  immutable  principles  in  nature,  that 
through  those  principles  nature  may  work.    As  by  giving 
gravitation  to  motion,  the  worlds  are  kept  in  their  places ;  by 
giving  variations  to  fire,  it  breathes  through  all  matter,  ex- 
pands vegetation,  gives  motion  to  the  air,  and  liquency  to  the 
waters  of  the  globe ;  were  it  not  for  this,  all  fluids  that  now 
TOOve  over  the  earth  in  springs,  brooks,  rivers,  or  oceans,  or 
pass      through  the  earth,  or  circulate    through  the  pores  of 
trees,  and  herbage,  together  with  all  animal  fluids  of  life, 
would  stand  still  and  become  one  universal  mass  of  death. 
And  thus  I  conceive  that  in  the  general  order  of  nature, 
whatever  is,  is  right;   and  that  each,  and  every  transgres- 
Bion  of  that  order  incurs,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  the 
penalty  of  death.    Thus  I  apprehend  that  an  unnatural  amal- 
gamation of  distinct  races  had  much  to  do  with  the  extinc- 
tion of  the  mound-builders,  and  that  the  same  drama  is  in  re- 
action at  the  present  time  in  the  same  regions  on  this  con- 
tinent, that  if  persisted  in,  will  ultimately  result  in  the  same 
consequences. 

Wherever  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  fixed  principles  of 
variety,  inherent  in  the  procreative  germs  of  nature  in  the 
animal  and  vegetable  kingdoms,  we  at  once  discover  a  pre- 
disposition in  such  as  in  the  order  of  nature  iiay  exist  in 
physical  union  to  amalgamation. 

Experience  teaches  the  agriculturist  that  wherever  he 
plants  several  varieties  of  potatoes  together,  or  adjacent  to 
each  other,  that  a  commingling  of  species  is  the  invariable  con- 
sequence; the  same  result  is  had  in  the  mingling  of  vines, 
and  various  kinds  of  grain,  and  in  the  amalgamation  of  vege- 
table matter,  an  inferior  article  is  generally  obtained,  and  a 
continuous  amalgamation  of  a  few  years'  duration  engenders 
disease,  and  destroys  the  procreative  germ  of  each.  But  cul- 
tivate each  species  remote  from  each  other,  and  a  healthful 
purity  remains  unimpaired  for  ages.  The  same  result  is  had 
in  engrafting  fruit ;  cut  away  a  large  portion  of  the  branches 
of  a  thrifty  trunk,  and  engraft  a  different  kind,  and  it  may 
flourish  and  bear  bounteously  for  a  few  seasons,  and  then 


826 


ANTIQUARIAN   RKSEAROHRS. 


langiiislics  and  dies,  wliilo  tlio  native  crab  of  the  forest,  un- 
molested, retains  its  verdmo  for  centuries.     In  tlie  amalffa- 
tion  of  fowls,  apparently  of  tlio  same  species  and  general 
pliysical  form,  that  may  only  ho  distingtiished  in  their  pe- 
culiar habits  and  variety  of  color,  procreation  ceases  with  the 
first  traiipgression,  such  as  t!io  wild  and  tlie  tiune  turkey,  tho 
wild  and  tame  goose,  &c.     Tho  same  result  is  luvd   in  tlio 
amalgamation  of  tho  horse  and  the  ass.   And  I  remark  in  the 
amalgamation  of  the  white  man  and  negro,  tho  unmistakable 
inroads  of  physical  degeneration  ;  both  in  purity  not  nnfre- 
quently  live  out  the   good   old  age  of  threescore  and  ten, 
while  th«  mulatto  or  mixed  races  rarely  survive  their  three- 
score years.     The  negro  in  his  purity  is  everywhere  known 
to  be  more  prolific  than  the  white  and  red  races,  while  the 
mixed  race  is  universally  known  to  bo  less  prolific  than  either 
the  white  or  black.     From  personal  observation,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  facts  presented,  I  infer  that  a  prolonged  indul- 
gence in  the  intermixture  of  the  white  and  black  races  must 
eventually  terminate  in  the  total  extinction  of  both.    And 
the  local  position  of  America  in  reference  to  regions  congenial 
to  the  nature  of  each,  and  its  contiguity  to  continents  adapted 
to  the  color  and  constitution  of  both,  render  it  highly  proba- 
ble that  international  intercourse  anciently  existed  on  this 
continent. 

And  this  conclusion  gathers  additional  force  in  the  fact  that 
at  the  present  time,  the  world  is  again  a|>parently  swai-ming, 
and  America  is  hiving  the  surplus,  and  thus  rapidly  con- 
gregating together  al!  the  materials  of  national  combustion, 
in  the  concentration  of  different  manners,  and  customs,  politi- 
cal creeds,  and  conflicting  theological  interests,  all  struggling 
for  supremacy  in  the  exercise  of  their  own  physical  means. 
If  we  roll  this  state  of  things  back  to  the  imaginary  darker 
ages  of  the  world,  they  are  immediately  stripped  of  all  tho 
robes  of  chimera,  physical  degeneration  becomes  reasonable, 
and  total  extinction  assumes  the  attitude  of  sovereign  reality 
among  the  mound-builders. 


Cut  FF. 


CtttEE. 


c 

in  t 
den 
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tfa« 
Kei 


C 

Coi 
Vir 


can 


S 
rabi 


F 

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tion 
Bui 
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CONTENTS. 


Introduction  (Notice  of  De-coo-dali) Pab*      5 

INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

OfTering  of  Sacrifice  by  the  Ancients.— The  Division  of  the  Earth 
in  the  Days  of  Peleg. — The  Entombment  of  Idols  in  Tumuli.— Evi- 
dence of  a  Grecian  Population  in  South  America. — Evidence  of  a  Ro- 
man and  Grecian  Population  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.— Evidence  of 
the  Ancient  Migration  of  the  Danes. — The  Art  of  Embalming  in 
Kentucky. — Phainecian  Sculpture  in  Massachusetts 11 

CHAPTER  I. 

Conical  Stone  Cemeteries. — Ancient  Indian  Cemetery  in  Clarke 
County,  Virginia.— Sacrificial  Stone  Cemetery  in  Frederick  County, 
Virginia.— Cemetery  of  Earth  and  Stone  in  the  Mountains 22 

CHAPTER  II. 

Modern  Mode  of  Funeral  Deposite  in  Staked  Enclosures  by  Ameri- 
can  Indians 30 

CHAPTER  III. 

South  American  Tumuli.— Excursion  to  the  Battle-Field  of  Car- 
rabobo 33 

CHAPTER  IV. 

First  Tour  of  the  Author  up  the  Mississippi  River,  from  the  Junc- 
tion of  the  Ohio  to  the  Junction  of  the  Crow-wing  River  with  the  Same.     40 

CHAPTER  V. 
Discovery  of  an  Earthen  Urn  deposited  in  a  Mound  near  the  Junc- 
tion of  the  Wisconsin  River  with  the  Mississippi. — Return  to  Galena, 
Built  a  Sail-Boat,  and  ascended  the    Mississippi  end  St.  Petor'a 
River. 4g 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Description  of  the  Mntind  of  Amalgamation  on  the  Iligiiland  of  the 
Wisconsin  River. — The  Mound  of  Extinction.— Sacrificial  Alta.s — In. 
temational  Matrimonial  Memorials,  &c 61 


^80  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VII 

National  Monument  nieroglyphically  historical.— Traditional  De- 
ciphering of  the  Same,  &c p^gj.    gg 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Monumental  Tortoise.— Description  of  Fort  Ancient  in  War- 
ren County,  Ohio.— Discovery  of  the  Ancient  Existence  of  a  Deep 
Ditch  within  by  boring -, 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Monuments  of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota  Triangular  Cemeteries.— 
The  Great  Spider  Memoralized  on  the  Plains 81 

CHAPTER  X. 

Sacrificial  Altars  enclosed  by  Crescent  Works,  &c.— Triangles  in 
Minnesota.— The  Sacrificial  Pentagon.— The  Offering  of  Human  Sac- 
rifice,  &C gg 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Triumphal  Memorials  of  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and   Iowa,  seen  in 
Earthen  Effigies.— Memorials  of  Chiefdom,  &c 104 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Title  Memorial  Mounds.- Their  Form  and  Various  Relative  Ar- 
rangement— Reflections  of  De-coo-dah.— The  Trees  of  War  and 
Peace. — Their  Locality  and  Traditional  Import 108 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Serpent  in  the  Wilderness  seen  in  Truncated  Earth- Works  of 
Great  Dimensions  in  Iowa '. jic 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

De-coo-dah's  Traditional  Description  of  the  Ceremonials  of  Ancient 
Festivity  when  in  National  Union — The  Order  of  Celebration,  &c.. .  126 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Time  of  holding  Union  Festivals.— The  Erection  of  Festival 
Habitations — Previous  Preparations.-^The  Mode  and  Manner  of 
Forming  National  Circles,  &c I34 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Primitive  or  Ancient  Deposites— How  distinguished  from  more 
Recent  Deposites.— The  Deposite  of  Mica  in  the  Tombs  ot  the 
Propheta jo^ 


68 


CONTENTS.  831 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Visit  to  the  Ancient  Metropolis,  nccompanied    by  De-coo-tJah.— 
His    Reverence    of    Saereil    Earth-Works. — Customs    of    French      i  , 
Pioneers — Lamentations  of  De-coo-dah,  &c Page  140 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Battle  of  the  Bad-Axe  as  described  by  We-ru-cun-ne-gah. — 
His  Distinction  between  Christian  and  Indian  Theology 153 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Indian  Festivity  in  Ancient  Order,  by  De-coo-dah. — The  Great  Ox 
Feast  near  Root  River,  in  Iowa,  Sucred  to  the  Memory  of  the  Mound- 
Builders 156 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Traditional  History  by  De-coo-dah  of  the  General  Dispersion 
of  the  Ancient  Elk  Nation. — Thei  Execution  of  De-co-ta  the  Great.— 
Change  of  Government  and  Internal  National  Commotions 161 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Treaty  Memorials. — Their  Peculiar  Form. — How  Distinguished 
from  other  Earth-Works. — Their  Matrimonial  Appendages 173 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Unfinished  Earth-Works  on  Straddle  Creek,  in  llHnoi8.--Di8tinc- 
tion  between  Ancient  Modes  of  Funeral  Deposites,  &c 175 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Battle  Burial-Mounds  at  Prairie  du  Cliien. — Their  Form  and  Con- 
tents.— Painted  Rocks. — Indian  Reverence  for  Them. — We-ru-cun- 
ne-gah,  the  Indian  Artist 180 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Third  Tour  of  Exploration. — The  Death  of  De-coo-dah. — Memo- 
rial placed  at  his  Grave — Discovery  of  Triangular  Works  near  the 
Chipnewa  River 186 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Lineal  Ranges  of  Artificial  Mounds  discovered  in  Iowa,  extending 
from  the  Mississippi  to  Missouri  River  in  connection  with  Serpentine 

Effigies 201 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
General  Character  and  Diversity  of  Form,  and  Arrangement  of  the 
Mounds  of  Wisconsin. — Their  Traditional  Import  and  Various  Com- 
binations  209 


•®  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
Hieroglyphical  PainHng  Seen  on  Bluff"  Rocks,  in  Cave«,  and  Se- 
cluded Placei.-Their  Probable  Origin  and  Design Page  226 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Earth-Works  of  Ohio.-Their  Resemblance  to  those  Found  Far 
West  and  North.-Royal  Cemeteries  on  the  Scioto  River,  &c 239 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Ohio  Earth- Works  Continued—Ruling  Prophet's  Resident  Circle.- 
i^  ^f  .--Festival  Circles—Royal  Union.-Prophet's  Metropolis. 
— bacnficial  Temples.— Unfinished  Sanctuaries,  &c 247 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Egyptian  Sanctuary  in  Indiana  containing  painted  Emblems  of  Theo- 
logical Import—The  Great  Extent  of  Earthen  Walls  in  Ohio.-Un- 
fimshed  Stone  Work  on  Fort  Hill,  in  Highland  County— Mounds  of 

Migration,  <&c 

262 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
The  Ancient  American  Fish-Trap  in  Ohio  and  Nebraska— The 
Traditions  of  De-coo-dah  relative  to  its  Origin  and  Use.-lts  Adapta- 
tion to  its  Traditional  Design 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
The  Deposite  of  Metals  "  i  the  Mounds.-Their  Form  and  Proba- 
ble  Design.— Of  European  Origin,  &c 290 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Modern  and  Ancient  Pipes-Their  Various  Forms-The  Antique 
1*11)6.— Its  Origin  with  the  Mound-Builders,  &c 298 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
Evidences  of  on  Exceedingly  Ancient  Population  in  Kentucky;  and 
Other  Parts  of  the  North  American  Continent 307 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
Probable  Causes  of  the  Final  Extinction  of  the  Mound-Builders.  ..  312 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
National  Degeneration.-Its  Origin  and  Effects 323 


I 


I 


LIST   OF  ENGRAVINGS. 


Ancient  Americans' Battle  Mound Fboktispiecs 

Portait  of  De-coo-dah P agk      3 

Portrait  of  the  Author.. « 10 

AA — South  American  Mounds 37 

A — Circle,  Triangles,  and  Parallels 221 

BB — South  American  Earth- Works 37 

B — National  Memorials 227 

CC— Title  Mounda 109 

C — Mounds  of  Extinction 101 

DD— Title  Memorials 109 

D — Triumphal  Mounds ,..  207 

EE— Dyer's  Cave 327 

E — Monumental  Tortoise 79 

FF — Scandinavian  Cemetery 327 

F — National  Eagles 171 

GG — Robber's  Cave 213 

G — Cemetery  of  Nebraska  and  Minnesota 85 

G — Sacred  Festival  Circle 95 

H — Indian  Cemetery 22 

H — Serpentine  Effigies 113 

I — National  Memorials 235 

J— International  Festivity 131 

J — National  Symbols 233 

K — International  Festivity 131 

K — Lineal  Ranges  of  Iowa 205 

L — Works  in  Ohio  and  Nebraska 95 

M — Memorial  Mounds 105 

M — Triangular  Works  of  Wisconsin 171 

N — Group  of  Memorials 105 

N — Cemeteries  of  Wisconsin 263 

O — Treaty  Memorials 59 

O — Crescent  Works  of  Wisconsin 191 

P — Residential  Mounds 121 

P — Minnesota,  Spider,  and  Triangular  Cemeteries^ 1 83 


! 


■j 


\ 

\ 

^^*  LIST  OF  ENQEAVINQ3. 

L— Unfinished  Triangular  Cemeteries p^^g  j  83 

Q— Mastodon  of  Muscoda " ' "  *  213 

Q-  Circle  and  Octagon joo 

It — Cassville  Works j2i 

K — Ro^al  Residence "'"  ,-1 

S— Works  at  Prairie  du  Chien , '.'.'.'..'.'.....  249 

T— Vaulted  Cemetery 207 

T — Residential  Circles __  041; 

U—Gottenburg  Works ^.g 

u— Effigies  of  Ohio ---."!"!"!!!!!'.".'.".."."!!!"'  245 

V — Fort  Ancient „, 

V — Monumental  Cemeteries 005 

W — National  Monuments »„ 

W— Hieroglyphical  and  Sacrificial  Works '.'.'..'.'.'.'......  215 

"W— Hieroglyphical  Paintings .'.".'.*.".'""  223 

X— Unfinished  Works  of  Illinois '/// ' 59 

X — Hieroglyphical  Paintings '  229 

Y— Triangular  and  Crescent  Groups !!'.!"  1 13 

V— Prophet's  Metropolis  >r  Sacred  Enclosures '  255 

Z— Unfinished  Works _ 015 

—Sacrificial  Pentagon 053 

Z— Festival  Circles .'."..'."."' 199 

IV. — Modern  IndianPipe '"*_ "  ggg 

VI.— Ancient  Indian  Pipe  of  Peace [[[  299 

Fig.  1,  VII.— Female  Head.  Antique  Pipe,  side  view .'.'.'  305 

Fig.  2,  VII.— Female  Head.  Antique  Pipe,  front  view.  305 

Fig.  3,  VII.— Wild  Cat,  Antique  Pipe '.'."'."[  305 

Fig.  4,  VII.— Lamantin  Antique  Pipe "'  305 

Figs.  5  and  6,  VII.— Buzzard  and  Frog  Antique  Pipe". !!.!!".  !".*"'"  305 

62— Works  of  Marietta,  Ohio ; 271 

C3— Metallic  Deposites onq 

64— Metallic  Deposite ] ." 293 

65 — Metallic  Deposite 

66 — Engraved  Stone 

67— Great  Mound  of  Miamisburg,  Ohio ' 267 

68— Portsmouth  Works,  Ohio 066 

69— Paint  Creek  Works,  Ohio Ioq 

70— Shawnee  Village,  Ohio .'".'."."."".".]!!!".".!!." 004 

Fort  Defiance ~ 

Fort  Greenville .".'.'.".",.",." ,11 


THE    END. 


